United Textile Limited (UNTL), the only textile company standing in Kaduna State appears to be on shaky ground with the disengagement of about 300 workers, which constitute 30 per cent of its staff strength.
Dozens of textile factories have closed shop in Kaduna because of many factors, including an unfriendly environment occasioned by the dearth of equipment and cost of production.
In March 2020, UNTL once again shutdown activities after a state-wide lockdown was imposed by the Kaduna State Government to curtail the spread of COVID-19 infection in the state.
Nature News gathered that pressure from the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) compelled the company to recall its workers in the last few weeks, which sources said led to a “restructuring” process.
On a visit to the company in Kakuri, Kaduna South Local Government Area of the state, workers told our correspondents that almost half of the company’s staff strength had been laid off in what the company called “restructuring.”
One of the staff said all those affected have been invited to collect their entitlements adding that the company was facing several challenges ranging from lack of raw materials to product imitations and poor patronage.
Read also: Gov. Makinde gives conditions for permitting crossover nights in Oyo
“It (retrenchment) is as a result of the general economic problem,” he said.
“This is the only surviving textile company in Kaduna and we cannot even get raw materials because the farmers are complaining that bandits won’t allow them to go to their farms.
“Some of the workers have been here for a while and they have been laid off. To pay workers has become difficult because there is no work to do and there are no raw materials to work with,” he said.
Another worker said the development will have a negative multiplier effect.
“The development will affect more than 1000 people because all the workers have dependants including wives, children and parents.
“I am sure many will find it difficult to survive because who do you think will give them a job? I hope the federal and Kaduna State Governments would do something to salvage the situation,” he said.
