The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, says the federal Government will subsidize the production of adire, a local fabric and establish industrial hubs in Nigeria.
Edu, disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday during her visit to the Adire Mall at Itoku in Abeokuta.
The Minister who also visited the fabric’s production grounds at Asero said the government would create an industrial hub across the country to further boost revenue for market women.
Hence, she assured market women of the government’s intention to ensure the fabric became known around the world.
”This is why there is a need for government to ban the importation of foreign Adire products.
“First, you must be able to push local production to meet the demand. Local production must be enhanced at all costs to meet the demand.
“When a local product is enhanced, subsided and supported by government, it will automatically eliminate whatever infiltration comes in to the market.
“We do not want to be selling fake Adire, made-in-China Adire brought into Nigeria. What we want is the local one made by our people,” the Minister said.
She emphasized that doing so will help Nigeria become a more manufacturing-based nation rather than an importer, as well as boost the macro and micro economies hence creating jobs.
“These are the things that are affecting the exchange rates. Government will provide that subsidy for the people.
“Since we took the subsidy off fuel, we will provide it for the Adire makers so that they can provide local Adire that will be used and exported out of the country,” Edu said.
She appreciated Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, whom she said had promised that the state would create hubs in Abuja where the original Adire would be sold.
