Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party SDP has vowed to revive the abandoned Asaba textile mill factory along Dennis Osadebe way in the heart of Asaba, the Delta state capital. Gbagi made the historic announcement during a press conference he had with journalists in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Asaba textile mill was established in 1965 by late premier of Midwestern region, Chief Dennis Osadebe. Report says it was then called Bendel textile mill but at the creation of Delta out of the defunct Bendel state, it was renamed Asaba textile mill in 1993. It was created to assist in solving unemployment challenge and reducing rural-urban migration.
The establishment of the mill brought life to Asaba and created employment to many Asaba people. It had a staff strength of over 840, comprising administration, factory workers, security, and labourers. It was one of the largest employers of labour in Asaba at inception.
Further report says the textile mill failed when its management took loans from multiple banks up to the tune of N816m but could not repay. That, the reports claim, was the genesis of it crumbling. Today, the firm is abandoned and the premises now overgrown with weeds and rodents. Many of the employees who lost their jobs are now involved in menial jobs as many are lamenting their pains.
But Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi, the only known industrialist among the governorship candidates has made a commitment to revive the textile mill and bring it back to life again. He told journalists at the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) that his administration will revive all abandoned and ailing industries and engage youths in productive ventures in them.
Reviving the textile industry will create huge job opportunity for youths and hitherto unemployed persons in the state. It will create employment for technicians, engineers, artists and a number of other persons in the state.
In Nigeria, the textile industry was one of Nigeria’s largest employers and has long been a prominent component in the country’s manufacturing sector. Prior to 1997, Nigeria had the second largest textile industry in Africa, after Egypt with over 250 active factories across the country.
The textile industry has evolved over the years to involve knitting and weaving as the most common manufacturing techniques. These techniques are used in making fabric products such as clothing, curtains, towels, mats, rugs, carpets and blankets.
In Nigeria, the textile industry produces a wide range of products from printed fabrics, such as wax and Africa prints, guinea brocade, embroidery, shirting and towels, blankets, tarpaulin, carpets, rugs, fishing and mosquito nets.
With the emergence of the textile mill in Asaba, the state capital then was bubbling with life, many got employment and were fending for their families. But with the huge job losses, many returned to unemployment with poverty hitting them in the face.
However, with the promise of Gbagi, the SDP governorship candidate, there is hope for the youths and other unemployed persons in the state capital. Gbagi, being a big time entrepreneur and not willing to <span;><span;>allow any<span;> stumbling block on his way to turn the economy of Delta around, will ensure the revival of the firm as soon as he takes over government from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Another factory he will revive is the leather factory at Issele Uku in Aniocha North local government area of the state. It was built by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan through the micro credit programme of his administration. Somehow, it was abandoned by the incumbent government, probably because the initiator, Dr. Antonia Ashiedu, former executive secretary of micro credit program did not support his emergence as governor of the state.
