By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo
The graduates of the Department of Polymer and Textile Technology at Kaduna Polytechnic had decried the dying of textile businesses in Nigeria and lack of patronage of the program in Nigeria.
This was made at its first meeting of the alumni that converged today to discuss the formation of a national union of Polymer and Textile Technology alumni of Kaduna Polytechnic. The members also appreciated the giant stride of the Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic in moving the polytechnic forward.
The Head of Department, Polymer and Textile Technology, Dr. Amira D. Isa welcomed the gathering and expressed her gratitude for the formation of the union to rescue the textile sector.
“The Department is lacking students, the intake is dropping until we do something very important to rescue the sector,” Dr. Amira called.
The HOD expressed worried over the dying of textile business and called for the stakeholders to act quickly to rescue the sector.
In his remarks, Abdulkadir Suleiman, the facilitator of the event and the member of the reunion organizing committee lamented that foreign countries have seized Nigeria’s textile business. He said the Department of Kaduna Polytechnic is going backwards until something is done and the Department would become history.
“Textile is the oldest profession in the world and also in Kaduna Polytechnic but China has taken over the textile business,” Malam Abdulkadir lamented. He charged the alumni to proffer solution to the dying textile sector.
The Interim Chairman, Dr. Alhaji Idris Abubakar promised to create better ways for the revival of machines of the Kaduna Polytechnic, Department of Polymer and Textile Technology by seeking help and assistance from meaningful citizens and government agencies.
“We would withstand the situation and make our sacrifices and see the results of our sacrifices. We will make sacrifices to revive the textile companies in Nigeria,” Alhaji Idris promised.
Malam Ibrahim Garba, a member of the Steering Committee called for the committee to come up with a blueprint to attract more students to the Kaduna Polytechnic Department of Polymer and Textile Technology.
The Secretary of the reunion and steering committee, Mr. Enoch Adukwu pointed out one of the reasons for the lack of students to no place of work after graduation. He also suggested that existing companies should be awarded for their existence. He also called for the revival of all the machines in the Department to attract more students through skill development.
Similarly, Aminu Maiyaki and Abdulmuhaiminu Daura called on stakeholders in Nigeria to save the situation of falling textile companies for jobs and employment.
The initiator of the reunion, Mrs Deborah P. Akanle called all the members to put all hands on deck for the revival of the Department. The gathering agreed to form 7 members of the committee for the constitution drafting.
Today’s reunion gives me hope that one day both the Textile industries and our various institutions offering course’s on both Textile and polymer technology will rise again to it’s former prestigious position as the one national economic and social driving force.