TDAmid rising economic hardship and soaring living costs across the country, former staff workers and shareholders of the General Cotton Mill (GCM), a once-thriving textile industry in Onitsha, have issued a strong appeal to the five South East governors to revive the company as part of efforts to strengthen the region’s economy.
Speaking at a general meeting in Onitsha, the workers — who also hold shares in the company — lamented that the mill, jointly owned by the five Southeast states and employing over 4,000 workers, was abruptly shut down in 2016.
They alleged that the closure occurred during the administration of former Governor Peter Obi.
They said the closure led to widespread looting of company property and partial conversion of the land to host a brewery producing the Hero brand of beer.
Stakeholders, Staff Despair
Operating under the umbrella of the GCM Trust Fund/GCM Employees Share Trust Fund, the workers described the closure as unfair and economically damaging.
According to their attorney, Hon. (Mrs.) Grace Anaekwe, popularly known as Madam Black, the shutdown not only displaced thousands of workers and distributors but also forced South East consumers to rely heavily on imported textiles, undermining local industry.
“The industry was closed without the knowledge of staff workers and minority shareholders, who are the lifeline of the company.
“No Annual General Meeting was convened before such a decision was taken,” Madam Black explained.
A former director representing Anambra State in GCM, Madam Black recounted her 25 years of business with the company.
She noted that workers had been elevated to shareholder status by founder Mr. Loger Lee as a reward for their dedication.
She condemned the abrupt liquidation as illegal and vowed that workers would continue to resist the injustice.
“Is it not a big shame that a very large industry, the only established economic hub managed by the five Southeast states, was shut down overnight?” she asked.
She urged current governors to take bold steps to restore the mill.
Land and Legal Concerns and Call for Intervention
Addressing concerns about land availability, Madam Black clarified that sufficient space remains to accommodate the mill’s return despite the brewery’s presence.
She revealed that letters have already been sent to Anambra State Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, with plans to extend the appeal to other Southeast governors.
She further alleged that Startex International, a foreign company not registered in Nigeria but listed as a shareholder, played a role in undermining GCM.
She called for investigations into its operations in Pakistan and elsewhere.
Madam Black praised Governor Soludo’s ongoing reforms and urged him to address the injustice left unresolved by past administrations.
She also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
She stressed that restoring GCM would provide jobs for thousands of Nigerians rendered unemployed by the closure.
As BOT Chairperson of the Christian Community Welfare Association in Anambra State, she concluded with a call for collective prayers for peace and justice in Nigeria, warning: “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
The workers insist that reviving GCM is not only about restoring jobs but also about reclaiming the Southeast’s economic pride and reducing dependence on foreign textiles.
