GREETINGS 

I bring fraternal greetings to all from IndustriALL Global Union based in Geneva on the occasion of the AFRICA INDUSTRIALIZATION DAY (AID).

GREETINGS to President Muhammadu Buhari who is commendably re-Industrializing Nigeria, through industrial policies that are promoting value addition,  making labour and capital operate with ease, to create mass decent jobs.

GREETINGS to all the comrades of affiliate unions of Industriall in Nigeria, namely; National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non Mettalic Products Employees (NUCFRLAMPE), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Chemical and Non Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) and AUTOBATE.

IndustriALL Global Union organizes 50 million workers in 140 countries. A lot  of our campaigns  focus on the manufacturing value chain in the 14 sectors that include, Aerospace, Automotive, Base Metals, Chemical, pharmaceutical and bio science, Energy (oil, gas, electricity and nuclear), Glass, cement, ceramic and associated industries, ICT, electrical and electronics, Industrial and environmental services, Mechanical engineering, Mining and Diamonds, Gems, Ornaments, Jewellery and Precious stones, Pulp and paper, Rubber, Shipbuilding and Shipbreaking, Textile, leather, garment, shoes and textile services.

GREETINGS to the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) Otunba Adeniyi Richard ADEBAYO who in collaboration with the  organizing Committee makes Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) 2019 commemoration a reality.

GREETINGS to United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Industry/Labour friendly Resident Representative Mr. BAKOLE Jean who has been energetically promoting the mission of UNIDO: Towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development  (ISID) in Countries Covered namely: NIGERIA, BURKINA FASO, BENIN, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, GUINEA, MALI, NIGER, SIERRA LEONE.

Mr. (OMOWALE !!!!) BAKOLE Jean is truly a comrade committed to new industrialized Africa. AMADLA FOR him!!!

GREETINGS to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of Mr. Godwin Emefiele for the patriotic efforts and commitment to revive the Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) sector. Central Bank of Nigeria has taken a number of bold and commendable efforts to encourage patronage of local fabrics towards driving the economic policies of President Buhari. CBN recently facilitated the historic signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the textile mills and uniformed services (Army, Navy, Police, Road safety, Civil Defence, Customs, Immigration, National Youth Service Corps etc) for their uniforms to be produced locally.

GREETINGS to Senator (Professor) Benedict Ayade, His Excellency, Executive Governor of Cross River State for being the first Industry/Labour Governor to  host  the AID 2019 in Calabar. Governor Benedict Ayade eminently qualifies as a “Comrade” Governor by setting up factories that employ mass of workers in the State. But he must allow the workers to belong to global union. Governor Ayade has made the point that government indeed has business in business.

2019 THEME 

The theme of the AID 2019 is: “POSITIONING AFRICAN INDUSTRY TO SUPPLY THE AfCFTA MARKET”

GREETINGS to all the African countries that have signed the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement. Africa should not depend on aids and handouts from abroad. Africa should promote intra-Trade within the continent. Industriall welcomes the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It will promote trade and investments on the continent and create a single market for goods and services. However Trade must never be a means by itself, but has to be for the benefit of the trading countries, African economies and their workers.

NEED FOR FAIR TRADE 

The point must  be made that what Africa needs is FAIR TRADE. Unfair trade practices with Nigeria in particular, have undermined domestic production. Smuggling and dumping have also assumed security dimensions as some border countries facilitated illegal importation of all goods including arms which  in turn arm criminals and insurgents. An appropriately trade policy is one of the principal drivers of prosperous and inclusive societies with decent economic, social, and ecological development. Conversely inappropriate, trade policy could deepen under development, poverty and violence. How do we explain the revelation that since the land borders were closed, Nigerian government has seized over N2.3 trillion worth of contraband, almost a quarter of 2019 budget?

The land border closures must continue as long as they bring about these economic gains and ensure fair trade which is what African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) envisages. World Bank, reported that “Benin’s economy is heavily reliant on the informal re-export and transit trade with Nigeria, which accounts for about 20 per cent of its GDP, or national income.  About 80 per cent of imports into Benin are destined for Nigeria, the bank had stated.” Nigeria for instance since 2013 imposed a tax of 70 per cent on  foreign rice through its ports, with a view of boasting local production ,create jobs for local farmers and  raise non-oil revenue. Unfortunately rice smugglers in Benin have been dumping duty free rice into Nigeria market with adverse implications for local productive initiatives. Same with textile materials. The mass closures of textile mills in Nigeria with attendant loss of millions of direct and indirect jobs are due to officially promoted unfair trade practices by Benin Republic authorities in particular

PRODUCTION AND TRADE 

First let’s realize that there cannot be trade, fair trade without production of goods and services. IndustriALL Global Union is an active campaigner for industrialization and manufacturing. Manufacturing is important for sustainable jobs and living wages. For example, in Ethiopia’s light manufacturing strategy, industrial parks like Hawassa will employ 60 000 workers when fully operational. President Buhari envisions 100 million jobs in ten years!! The implementation of the new Cotton, Textile and Garment policy (CTG) alone would create as many of 2. 5 million jobs.

We agree with UNIDO “that to boost trade in Africa, there is an urgent need to transit to manufacturing and value addition with the industrial sector making the largest contribution to Africa’s GDP.  This justifies the theme for the AID 2019 which craves for industry to produce the traded goods and services for the AfCFTA market”.

Lastly we must incorporate in trade and industrial policies all the ILO Conventions and Recommendations, particularly with respect to freedom of association, collective bargaining, and prohibitions against forced labour, child labour, discrimination and unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.

Forward with the industrialization of Africa!!! Forward !!!

Forward with building manufacturing capacity!!!! Forward !!!

Amandla!

Comrade Issa Aremu, mni

Vice President,

IMG-20191121-WA0030IndustriALL Global Union