By Yinka Kolawole
The Osun State Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has described textile industry as a strong commercial sector that can play a significant role in the country’s economic development.
He said the sector needed to be developed for it to play a significant economic role in attracting foreign investment and generating employment for the citizenry of the state.
The governor disclosed this through his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, during an engagement meeting with the state Textile Dealers at the Centre of Civic Engagement, Osogbo, the state capital.
Oyetola noted that it was in the realisation of historical economic benefits of the sector that his administration has been putting in place necessary infrastructures and enabling environment for not only the textile industry, but also for other sectors of economic importance to thrive.
He said: “We cannot underplay the pivotal role the sector played in stemming the tide of unemployment between late 1950s and early 1990s, and this has precipitated the efforts of the current administration to make this sector thrive among many others for sustainable socioeconomic development.
“It should be noted that our administration’s declaration of every Thursday being ‘Osun Adire Day’ and the directive that all public and civil servants should be dressed in Adire the same day, is in furtherance of our efforts not only to promote our culture and tourism but also to specifically develop the state textile industry.
“The initiative of establishing an international trade centre in Dagbolu is part of the concerted efforts towards sustainable industrialisation and commercialisation as its inland port would greatly help the state in strengthening importation and exportation of goods such as textile products as well as giving the state businesses an international exposure.
“Many road networks and other necessary infrastructures, such as Olaiya flyover, capital city roads, intra and inter community roads among others, are being massively constructed to provide ease of doing businesses and to also advance the state foreign investment strategy.”
Oyetola, therefore, reiterated his administration’s commitment to execute and facilitate more empowerment opportunities such as loans and grants to improve the capital base of the textile industry among others, and for the purpose of socioeconomic development of the state.
Earlier in her remarks, the association’s President, Mrs. Misturat Adedapo, who spoke on behalf of other members, appealed to the government to consider them for more value added benefits, such as intensive loan facility and grants, which could bring about a drastic development of their industry.
