It is interesting to note the existence of some government agencies/ parastatals charged with the responsibility of monitoring some aspects of our textile industrial development. Some of the Agencies are:
1. The Nigerian cotton Board,
2. Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Established in 1987 vide Decree
No 39).;
The two bodies could establish direct contact with corporate textile companies and higher educational institutions for a mutual exchange of ideas and scientific findings which would lead to the creation of a Textile Data Bank (TEXBANK).
This can be achieved only on the basis of mutual cooperation between the agencies on one-hand and educational institutions on the other. And unless there is such a co-operation,
a) It will be difficult for the Government Agencies to accomplish their mandates or terms of reference.
b) It will be difficult for the textile companies to prepare adequate production projections based on Raw Material Data from the national agencies.
c) It will be very difficult for the Federal Inland Revenue Fund Generating Agency to have an appreciable knowledge/insight of production indexes and the desirable tax.
Areas of focus of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council should include the development, production and utilization of the following textile fibers whose products are most suitable for our climatic condition depending ofcourse on their construction and treatment.
The Nigerian Cotton Board on its own part has made immense contributions in the area of cotton cultivation and sales to textile industries.
Though we have witnessed a decline in its productivity in the past few years which has adversely affected its ability to source the local raw material requirements of textile mills, its overall contribution to the textile sector is encouraging and commendable.
But much remains to be done by the Cotton Board in the area of Fibre “Classification” according to:
a) Staple Length
b) Grades and
c) Character
Fibre length is a very vital property in determining the technological regime and parameter settings during the yarn spinning process. Fibre length is also very important to textile laboratory technologists during the production monitoring process.
ROLE OF TEXTILE MANUFACTURING
SECTOR IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY.
The textile manufacturing sector has been the second largest employer of labour in this country after the public sector. But this envious position has been eroded due to dumping of smuggled textile goods which has weighed heavily on our local textile industries capacity utilization.
Reliable informations and statistical data on the volume of textile goods rolled out yearly by our textile mills are not made available to Institutions of Higher learning for reference and further research purposes. This is so, probably because of lack of a nationally oriented Textile Commission to monitor, collect and store vital informations which will guide and serve the further development of the textile industrial manufacturing sector.
African prints dominates in most of our textile products. Not less than 60% of each weaving factory capacity utilization is devoted to their production. The remaining 40% is distributed between Jacquard woven fabrics, Twill woven fabrics and others.
It is necessary to state that the Nigerian textile manufacturing sector has consistently occupied an enviable and leading position amongst other African countries.
The sector has stridefully ventured into the production of very complex fabrics thus putting Nigeria In the forefront amongst the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Textile goods produced in Nigeria can be classified into the followings:
1. Rugs
2. Carpets
3. Jacquard Woven Fabrics
4. Ordinary and complex Twill
5. African print (Abadaa or Atampa)
6. Knitted apparels
.7. Knitting yarns
8. Sewing Threads
9. Suitings
10. Shirtings
11. Towels
12. Blankets
13. Sucks
14. Singlets
15. Pants
16. Braziers and others.
I am using this medium to appeal to the Federal Government, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Senate president, the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industries, Establishments /Organisations involved in the textile business to harmoniously
work towards the establishment of the NIGERIAN TEXTILE COMMISSION by an Act of the Nigerian National Assembly.
It is an open secret that the Textile sector of the Nigerian National Economy is the only sector without a national body to oversee its affairs. Thus making it an unprotected gold-mine for whoever cares.
The Nigerian Textile Commission when established will formulate policies, regulate, coordinate and monitor all aspects of the textile business in Nigeria.
Wingate (Textile Fabrics and their Selection) “The Textile Fibre Products Identification Act was passed by the Congress of the United States of America in August, 1958 and became effective March 3, 1960”.
History or Records are always available as a guide and the Nigerian Senate will also leave behind a legacy that we can bequeath to our future generations with the enactment of the Nigerian Textile Commission.
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