By Ahmad Umar
Gombe (Nigeria)– Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Technology wants local textile and dye artisans to employ indigenous and innovative technologies in their products to attract both local and foreign patrons.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Amina Shamaki made the call in Gombe northeast of the country on Tuesday at a two-day sensitization workshop on Local Raw Materials Sourcing and Handling of Textile, Dyeing and Finishing Chemicals for local attire manufacturers.
She said it was very important for the manufacturers to learn innovative ideas that would encourage improvement of their products.
The event was organised by the Ministry in conjunction with Nigeria Institute of Leather and Science Technology, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, National Board for Technology Incubation and Raw Materials Research and Development Council for the manufacturers .
Amina Shamaki who was represented by the Director of Chemical technology of the Ministry, Mr Akinyemi Oyefeso stated that the artisans must understand that their safety remains key and also to teach them ways to avoid hazards attached to their works.
Shamaki lamented that the industry which had so many opportunities had not been exploited to the fullest.
She stressed that one of the primary focus of the STI’s intervention was to modernise the process of technology and widen the utilisation, application of dyes to other areas that have not been explored locally.
She said that local dyeing and sale of textiles would tremendously promote import substitution, conserve foreign exchange and increase exportation of products through the application of new technologies and innovations.
“The products may not be perfect but could get better through the application of new technologies and innovations. We should not forget that the emerging economies Brazil, Indian, Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Malaysia started the same way and today through application of STI their products have dominated the entire world”.
“We are very proud of your products so that is why we want to improve and perfect them for general acceptability and exportation. These dreams however can only be achieved by taking crucial steps to standardise the production and quality.
Some of the local textile manufacturers at the Workshop noted that the sensitization workshop would help them to learn new ideas in the industry as well as ways to ensure their safety during production.
The two day workshop is expected to formulate new ideas on how to develop skills, identify new dye method and also develop new businesses from dye.
