SMEDAN to empower 22 A’Ibom tailors, garment professionals after training

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

No fewer than 22 Akwa Ibom tailors and garment professionals would be empowered with tailoring equipment worth millions of naira after training by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

The Director General of SMEDAN Mr Olawale Fasanya, disclosed this at a-3-day Training and Empowerment on Garment and Textile Growth Support Scheme organised by the Agency in Uyo on Wednesday.

Fasanya said that each beneficiary would be given equipment comprising of sewing, buttonhole and weaving/stitching machines worth millions of naira to improve their businesses.

He said that Nigeria’s Textile sector was the largest employer of labour after the Government before 1997 and frowned at the fact that jobs and foreign exchange had been lost due to some challenges that have led to the closure of textile companies in the country.

He expressed displeasure that smuggled textiles have taken over 90 per cent of the Nigerian market and led to a Federal Government loss of about N75 billion annually on customs duty and Value Added Tax.

“It is on record that Nigerian textile/garment sector some years ago was the largest employer of labour after government. 

“It was also a major player in the manufacturing sector of the economy as it employed over one million Nigerians and secured a captive market of 250, 000 tons of raw cotton for growers.

“The sector also generated over N1 billion revenue as at then to the coffers of the Federal Government,” Fasanya said.

The DG said SMEDAN initiated the Garment/Textile Growth Support Scheme to enhance the competitiveness of small businesses and aid tailors in achieving the optimum finishing of their products. 

Fasanya said the equipment will enable the trainees to operate as a cluster with a view to enabling them to benefit from the economy of scale.

“The training and empowerment which you are to receive will enable your capacity to be enhanced in the usage of the equipment that will be given to you.

“This equipment will enable your enterprises to operate as clusters with a view to enabling you to benefit from the economy of scale. You are therefore enjoined to see to continuous maintenance of the equipment and deploy your capacity to go beyond the normal boundary.

“As entrepreneurs, you are to move with time and be able to meet the demands of the market. The machines are provided to assist you to achieve finishing while increasing your capacity utilisation,” he said.

He urged them to make judicious use of the equipment to enhance their businesses and employ others, stressing that the beneficiaries must not sell the equipment as anyone caught would be prosecuted.

Fasanya added that so far, about 200 participants had benefited and 600 machines given since the inception of the scheme in the country.

Some of the participants including; Mrs Josephine Frank and Miss Ekong Effiong, commended the federal government and SMEDAN, assuring that they would put the equipment given to them by the agency to profitable use.

The Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Tailors and Seamstresses Association, Mr Shine Umoh assured that the group would partner with SMEDAN to ensure the growth of enterprises in the state.