Buhari Set To Reverse Un-banning Of Importation Of Textile Products

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may revisit decision of the Jonathan Administration which removed the importation of textile products from the list of banned items, Vanguard reports.

Quoting a highly placed government official, the report said government believes the decision by the last administration to remove textile from the list of banned items to be imported into the country was “unconscionable” ‎because of larger implications on the unemployment situation in the country.

According to the official, the Nigeria Custom Service, which announced the decision recently, has been asked to explain the rationale behind the decision.

Continuing, the government official, said the decision to remove textile material from the list of banned items was taken in the final weeks of the last administration which sent a memo to the Nigerian Custom Service, conveying government decision on the matter.

The source added: “Government cannot be talking of employment generation on one hand and then allowing the importation of cheap textile products from Asian countries thereby killing the local textile industry which is already comatose. It’s a policy that has to be reversed and the Nigerian Customs Service has been asked to defend the volte face‎.

“The textile sector is capable of generating employment if it is supported to thrive. The several textile industries in the north can create several employment opportunities if the textile sector is supported. That is what the government intend to do” he said.