The Organized labour has condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari on the death of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari who died of coronavirus disease in the early hours of Saturday (April 18, 2020)
The late Chief of Staff to the President Buhari died less than a month days after he reportedly tested positive to the coronavirus disease.
In a Condolence statement in Kaduna, former General Secretary of Textile Union and Vice President Industriall Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu recalled what he called “the remarkable statesmanship” of Abba Kyari in promoting diversification and Industrialization in the country.
“With nostalgia we remember how the Chief of Staff On Tuesday July 23 2019 single handedly commendably facilitated historic courtesy visit to the President Muhammadu Buhari, by the leadership of textile union and the Nigeria Textile Manufacturers Association (NTMA).” he wrote.
President Buhari, he said at the inclusive meeting also attended by CBN Governor, Bank of Industry, Ministries of Trade and Investment, Agriculture, Custom service unveiled a comprehensive Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) policy which aims at reviving the entire moribund value chains of cotton growing, textile, Ginneries, spinning and weaving, printing and garments production.
Speaking on late Kyari legacy on industrialization, Comrade Aremu said the best tribute to the late Chief of staff is for all the stakeholders in the Cotton, textile and garment to realize the vision of CTG revive the labour intensive sector, capable of creating over 2 million jobs, improve internal revenue across three tiers of government and reduce $4.0billion import bill incurred annually on textile and apparel, safeguard and earn foreign exchange.
TAX JUSTICE IN OIL AND GAS SECTOR
Kyari who had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 23, 2020 following an official trip to Germany was also a key player in the oil and gas industry having served on the Boards of NNPC and Exxon Mobil Nigeria among others.
Comrade Aremu said the late Chief of Staff was pivotal to the historic Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Amendment Bill signed into law by President Buhari in November 2019.
“The legislation,” the labour leader, “promised, to significantly increase Nigeria’s share of earnings earned from its oil wells offshore adding that Act was a victory for the campaign for Tax Justice in the oil and gas sector because it balanced the age long corporate greed in oil and gas sector with urgent national needs in terms of revenue”.
COVID: 19: LIFE AND DEATHThe former Labour Party Governorship candidate said Kyari‘s death confirms President Buhari’s admonition that COVID: 19 remains “a life and death issue, not a joke” adding that all Nigerians must obey the guidelines of NCDC on physical distancing, personal and workplace hygiene. Comrade Aremu prayed for his eternal rest.
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