Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has appealed to the Federal government to relax the tough conditions attached to disbursement of the Textile Intervention Fund. The appeal will relax the bureaucracy and strict conditions surrounding the allocation of the funds and also because there is a need to revitalise the textile industry. The textile industry had suffered a lot as a result of smuggling and other infrastructure deficiencies. At the moment, there are not more than five textile industries working who are functioning at low capacity.
The government had responded its policy initiatives; primary of which is the Textile Fund anchored by the Central Bank of Nigeria. But, manufacturers are finding it difficult to benefit from the fund due to some bottlenecks and strict conditions attached to it.
MAN also urged the government to continue its effort at ensuring provision of basic infrastructure to reduce the cost of production by manufacturers. It suggested inter-ministerial and inter-departmental cooperation for quick actualisation of the proposed anti- smuggling task force to combat smuggling of textiles.
