The federal government has announced that it will ban the importation of Adire, a locally-produced fabric from China.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu made the announcement during her visit to the Adire Mall at Itoku in Abeokuta.
Edu also visited the fabric’s production grounds at Asero and emphasized the government’s plan to establish an industrial hub nationwide, which will significantly boost revenue for market women.
She assured the market women that the government intends to promote the fabric globally, creating job opportunities and strengthening both the micro and macro economy.
She said:
“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 the government, it will automatically eliminate whatever infiltration comes into 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.
“These are the things that are affecting the exchange rates. The 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 expressed her gratitude to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, who has pledged to establish hubs in Abuja for the sale of the authentic Adire fabric.
