Ogun Students Urge FG To End 'Adire' Importation

The National Association of Ogun State Students has urged the Federal Government to move against the importation of imitated Adire fabrics from China.

Adire (tie and dye) is a locally-produced fabric from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, providing employment opportunities for thousands of people.

The student group frowned on the colossal amount invested in the fabric importatation.

They asked the Federal Government to arrest the ugly situation, adding that it would be saddening for Nigeria to be spending more to import the fabric just as $600m was being spent annually to import palm oil into the country.

At a news conference on Sunday, the National President of NAOSS, Kehinde Thomas, said it was disheartening that some economic saboteurs were working to kill the local industry by importing inferior Adire fabrics into the country from China.

Thomas stated: “We view this as a deliberate attempt not only to squeeze life out of our local economy, but a step to throw thousands of people out of jobs.

“Apart from that, if this evil act is not halted by the Federal Government through relevant authorities, local enterprises and entrepreneurship will be discouraged.

“And if this happens, it will further push our ailing economy to the precipice. The country is still smarting from the huge gap left on its economy by the exit of some multinational companies. ‘NAOSS, as the umbrella body of Ogun State students, condemns this economic sabotage in strong terms.

“Huge loss of foreign exchange earnings by importing Adire which are being manufactured locally can better be imagined."

Asserting that Adire should be jealously protected, Thomas said: “To this end, we want to call on the Federal Government to move against the importers of Chinese Adire into the country, by imposing stringent sanctions on them.

“Also, more measures should be put in place to protect local makers of Adire, as well as giving incentives to them, with the view to promoting local content."