An Industrialist and Executive Chairman, Adhama Textiles and Garments Industry Ltd, Alhaji Saidu Dattijo Adhama has decried the neglect of the cotton industry in Nigeria, which he said can create 500, 000 jobs.
Speaking with journalists in an interview yesterday in Kaduna, he urged the Nigerian government not to reject the European Union (EU’s) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
He said many other African countries have signed the agreement and revealed that a minimum of 500,000 will get direct job with direct income of N2,000 daily.
He said states and local governments will benefit immensely from the agreement in terms of revenue, if the agreement is implemented.
He added that, “It will enable local governments and states to get some revenue. It’ll create room for a peaceful atmosphere of all people. We need peace, and with poverty we will never get peace; without job opportunities for people, there will definitely be poverty; poverty breeds crises, creates trouble and crime.”
He said such programme will also help Nigeria to attain export standard of production.
While urging Nigerians to support the agreement, Adhama said “We should look at the package because there are lots of opportunities in the agricultural sector. There are machineries that will last a lifetime; I have a machine that has been in my factory for over 40 years, I took it over in 1977 from Arewa Textiles.”