COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 10th NATIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE OF THE NATCOMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 10th NATIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF TEXTILE, GARMENT AND TAILORING WORKERS OF NIGERIA HELD AT THE GRAND HOTEL,ASABA, DELTA STATE FROM WEDNESDAY 28TH TO FRIDAY 30TH MARCH 2012
PREAMBLE
The 10th national delegates’ conference of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) took place at the Grand Hotel, Asaba, Delta State from Wednesday 28th – Friday 30th March 2012. The Conference attracted over 1,000 delegates and observers drawn from textile factories and affiliated self-employed Tailors’ Associations across the Country. The Conference opening ceremony was hosted by the outgoing President Comrade Reginald Agulanna and General Secretary Comrade Issa Aremu.
OPENING CEREMONY
The Conference was preceded by National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting, a Women Conference on Union Organizing and Capacity Building and National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 March 2012 respectively.
The conference opening ceremony attracted the high level participation of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu. High level delegations from Delta, Edo, and Kaduna State Governments attended the opening session. Delta State was represented by the Deputy Governor Professor Amos Utuama and Kaduna State by the Deputy Governor Alhaji Mukhtar Rammalan Yero. Edo state was represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Barrister Osikhena-Boih Donald. Other dignitaries included top employers and captains of Industry like Senator Walid Jibrin of UNT Plc Group and Abiodun Ogunkoya of Nigeria Bag Manufacturing (BAGCO), representatives of Employers’ Association, Bank of Industry (BOI), Trustfund Pension Plc, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), National Productivity Center (NPC), Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS).
Presidents and General secretaries of industrial unions and the African Regional Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF) Comrade Thabo Tsabalala were present.
The Conference theme was: Transforming Nigeria Through Re-industrialisation, Employment and Decent Work. Delegates and participants reflected on the transformation agenda of the current administration, its strength and weaknesses and opportunities for sustainable industrial development and the improved welfare of the people through mass employment and decent work. The Conference took reports and debated on the challenges facing the industry and the union and came up with far reaching resolutions to reposition the organization to serve the members better.
National Transformation
• Commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his administration’s commitment to Transformation Agenda.
• Noted with dismay the existing crisis of governance evident in mounting mass poverty amidst high growth rate, corruption, upsurge in crime rates, unending spate of bombings, kidnapping and general state of insecurity.
• Urged the political class to be patriotic and address critical issues of development and transformation such as reindustrialization, democracy, education and health care and mass decent jobs instead of playing up divisive primordial issues that could tear the nation apart.
• Recognized that indeed Nigeria needs a revolution not just a transformation. Revolution from de-industrialization to re-industrialization. Revolution from poverty to prosperity. Revolution from insecurity to social, economic, job and physical security. Revolution from jobless growth to employment centered development and revolution from factory closures to industrial estates.
• Urged all Nigerians to unite and speak out loud against the abysmal electricity failure, poverty, lack of good governance, corruption and other vices that are holding back our nation’s march to sustainable industrial development.
• Harped on the need to deepen our democratic process through constructive engagement with government and action that promote unity and national development
• Re-affirmed the importance of workers and the civil society in the struggle for societal transformation. The Conference called on Trade Unions, rank and file workers, students, artisans and the peasant masses to actively support and campaign on all issues that are critical to the transformation of our society and the improved welfare of the mass of our people.
Industry, Employment and Decent Work
• Observed that Nigeria’s recent economic prosperity denominated in her GDP growth rate in excess of 7 per cent has not led to improved mass employment. In fact, mass unemployment exists side by side with high growth rate.
• Urged the Federal Government to revitalize local industries especially textile mills and promote value adding processes in agriculture as a way of addressing the high level of unemployment and poverty in the country. Indeed, no nation has ‘transformed’ neglecting her local industries
• Recognized and commended the intervention of the Federal Government through the Bank of Industry (BOI) which has helped to stabilize the Nigerian textile industry in the last one year. The reopening of United Nigeria Textile with 1,300 jobs and clear prospect for more employment is a clear testimony of the relevance of the textile intervention fund. But beyond funding and infrastructural issues we need a clear cut industrial policy that will lead to sustainable industrial development.
• Noted that even developed economies like the United States spend heavily to stimulate local industrial production and protect local industries through all kind of incentive packages including policies supporting consumption of locally manufactured goods. Therefore urge the FG to consider the following recommendations contained in the UNIDO report on the Nigerian textile Industry
• Above all ensure sustainable electricity supply. There cannot be industrialization without electricity.
• Effective enforcement of import policy to check illegal imports
• Institutional Capacity Building by creation of an apex textile transformation unit in the Ministry of Trade and Investment
• Adoption of bio technology to improve the production and quality of cotton.
• Human resource development to provide skilled manpower to the industry.
• Recapitalise Bank of Industry (BOI) and provide sustainable funding for industrial revival.
• Addressing the fiscal policy distortions in customs tariff.
• Enforcement against smuggled and counterfeit textile and taking up the issues with the Chinese authorities.
• Ban the importation and smuggling of used cloths.
• Encourage export by ensuring conducive operating environment and granting adequate export incentive.
UNION TRANSFORMATION
• Noted that the Union witnessed tougher times with continued closure of Textile factories, redundancies and attendant loss of members.
• Stressed that in spite of these intimidating conditions, the Union remained focused and committed to the aspiration of pioneer textile workers who desired strong but democratic organization of workers in the Nigerian Textile Industry capable of defending the rights and interests of workers at work and in the society.
• Affirmed that the Union has remained steadfast and proud of steady progress in core areas of Union activism; Collective bargaining and improvement in working conditions, Defense of workers’ rights, Health and safety and general working conditions and Unionizing the unorganized amongst others
• Beyond these, the Union remains committed to workers education and the campaign and policy advocacy programme on revival of industries.
• Acknowledged that the Union has also made appreciable progress in recruiting and organizing new members. Over 6000 new members were recruited into the Union within the last four years.
• Stressed the need to strengthen and deepen these processes and ultimately the Union structure. Therefore the Conference passed resolutions on strengthening the structures and the institutional mechanism for the work of the Union in the following areas.
– Unionization of members
– Occupational health and safety
– Workers education
– Policy advocacy
NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS
• Expressed support for Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) under the able leadership of Comrade Abdul Waheed Omar for the sustained commitment to the advancement of workers interest and defense of workers’ rights and the general welfare of the Nigerian masses.
• Pledged sustained commitment and support to the NLC-led struggle against casualization, unfair labour practices and anti-people policies of the government.
• Decried multiplicity of Labour Centres on the country and urged trade unionists, employers and government to work together to promote trade union unity and ensure the emergence of one trade union center for the country.
• Urged the NLC to intensify the struggle for decent work through its alliance with Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) particularly leading the campaign for re-inventing industries and mass employment.
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY
• Recognized that the struggle for workers’ rights and good governance is global. NUTGTWN needs to consistently intensify its international solidarity activities with the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF), hoping that the bilateral relationship would be further strengthened.
• Commended the efforts to promote unity of workers’ organization internationally as a rational way of building workers power. Therefore supports the:
• Emergence of IndustriALL, the new global union federation which is the outcome of merger of three former global union federations. The three merging unions are; the international Metal Workers Federation(IMF), the international Federation of Energy, Mine and Chemical Workers Union (ICEM) and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation(ITGLWF)
WOMEN AND GENDER ISSUES
• Noted that the number of women holding branch elective posts since the last delegates’ conference has drastically reduced due to closures, redundancies and retrenchments.
• Recalled the union’s massive investment in the human capital development of women members and the collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in this regard.
• Recognized the enormous potential for expanding women membership participation in the union through massive recruitment of self employed tailors across the Country.
• Emphasized the need for macroeconomic policies that will assist the development of the real sector of the economy and guarantee job creation for women members.
HIV/AIDS
• Recognized HIV/AIDS as a trade union issue. The union therefore expressed commitment to massively create awareness among members with the same zeal exerted on other working class struggles.
• Collaborated with USAID/AED/SMARTWORK to run a three year workplace programme. The structured intervention programme on HIV/AIDS included awareness campaigns, education programmes, policy development, production of IEC materials and running of VCT sessions.
• Observed that the intervention activities had helped in behavior change among members and has resulted in significant reduction in stigma and discrimination in our workplaces
• Reaffirmed commitment to sustain the HIV/AIDS programme of the union in the coming years in the overall interests of members and as part of the union’s contribution to the collective struggle for HIV/AIDS free workplace.
DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERANNCE
• Reaffirmed commitment to democratic governance as an ending path to sustainable development.
• Condemned the resurgence of military insurrection in West African countries namely Mali and Guinea Bissau.
• Commend the effort of President Goodluck Jonathan to defend and protect democracy in the sub-region.
• Commend also the ECOWAS, Africa Union, Civil Rights movement and the international community for their vocal opposition to this unwarranted political disruption.
• As a democratic trade union, reaffirmed support and commitment to democracy and good governance in Nigeria and Africa in general.
AWARDS/RECOGNITION
The Conference featured an award dinner where key stakeholders, staff, employers and support institutions were recognized for their contributions to the Union and the society in general. Notable recipients include Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Patrick Yakowa who received Governance Award. The Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu received an award for Institutional Support for Decent Work Agenda. Partner institutions like BOI, FES, MINILS, NPC, Textile Employers were honoured for their contributions to the Union and the Nigerian textile industry. Veteran unionists such as Hassan Sunmonu, Ali Chiroma among others were honoured. The outgoing President Comrade Reginald Agulanna Uwa and the General Secretary Comrade Issa Aremu, mni were honoured for their service and commitment to the Union.
ELECTIONS
The high point of the Conference was the conduct of elections. In a keenly contested elections supervised by ITGLWF, Ministry of Labour, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Registrar of Trade Unions, the following officers were elected to run the affairs of the union for the next four years:
1. Hunsu Oladele – President
2. Issa Aremu mni. – General Secretary
3. Abdul Adamu – 1st Deputy President
4. Lawal Haruna – 2nd Deputy President
5. Adaji John – National Treasurer
6. Sylvester Chimezie – Deputy General Secretary
7. Lucky Emegha – National Trustee
8. Fatai Adepoju – National Trustee
9. Joseph Yahaya – National Trustee
10. Shuaibu Kadiri – National Auditor
11. Usman Gambo – National Auditor
*The position of a fourth trustee reserved for a female member through affirmative action is to be filled later.
____________________ ……………………………………………………………………………… ___________________
OLADELE HUNSU…………………………………………………………………………………………………. ISSA AREMU mni
PRESIDENT ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………GENERAL SECRETARY
