Political Restructuring Not Sustainable Without Diversification of Economy’ By Victor Ahiuma-Young

ILORIN—NATIONAL Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, yesterday said political restructuring was not sustainable without Socio- economic restructuring through diversification of the economy.

In a statement in Ilorin, Kwara State, General Secretary of the union, Issa Aremu, explained that the economy also needed revolutionary measures to consciously bridge the worsening gap between the rich and the increasing mass of the poor Nigerians Aremu who is also the Chairman of IndustriALL Global Union, Africa Region, while wishing Nigerians a happy Eid-el-fitri celebration, hailed the multi billion Naira special social intervention projects contained in 2016 federal budget, noting that the provisions aimed at alleviating poverty among the poor were in line with the “Give-the-poor-spirit” of Ramadan and part of necessary social restructuring for the country.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the N500 billion social interventions in five areas, namely 500,000 teachers recruitment, 100,000 artisans, schools feeding for 5million school, conditional cash transfers to 1million poorest of the poor and education grant for 100, 000 students in science, Mathematics and Engineering among others.

NUTGTWN General Secretary also hailed the federal government for the prompt payment of monthly salaries of federal workers and called on the state governors to emulate the good example.

According to him, the month of Ramadan “legitimises Gandhi’s observation that “there is indeed enough for everybody’s need, but not enough for everybody’s greed.” He called for selfless leadership that must free scarce resources from what he called “senseless private accumulation and corruption” to development, wealth generation, poverty alleviation and fair income distribution.

Aremu noted that Ramadan month had shown that “with service, balance, moderation and proportion in governance in Nigeria, many Nigerians would not go to bed hungry just as the rich would not have sleepless nights because they are over-fed with undeserved wealth”.