Kaduna — Workers of the Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL) have sent a save-our-souls (SOS) message to President Umaru Yar 'Adua and the Northern Governors Forum as a result of the non-payment of their gratuity since 2002 and the non-release of the N70 billion textile revival fund.

The workers under the aegis of Workers Share Trust Fund, appealed to the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, to come to their aid by authorising the payment of their benefits and gratuities to enable them live normal lives again.

Coordinator of the Workers Share Trust Fund, Comrade Wordam Simdik, said in a signed communiqué released after their meeting that if all entreaties failed, they might resort to peaceful protest and rallies to ensure that they did not die of poverty like 450 of their members who were lost due to their state of abject penury.

Simdik, who commended the efforts of Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State to revive KTL said, "We appealed to President Umaru Yar'adua to intervene in saving textile industries in the country. We cannot understand why several months after promising to make available N70billion textile revival fund, the money is yet to be released, leaving the textile industry in limbo.

"The workers have not been paid our salary gratuities since 2002 when KTL managements locked us out of the premises. Due to this, we had lost 450 members while feeding our families and catering for the education of our children has remained a mirage.

"We had become refugees in our country. We are, therefore, appealing to Northern Governors Forum, especially its chairman and Chief Servant of Niger State , Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu to urgently come to our aid by authorising the immediate payment of our benefits."

The workers who noted that KTL one of the legacies left by the former Premier of the North Sir Ahmadu Bello, also appealed to Northern Emirs and Chiefs to step into the matter and prevailed upon the NGF to pay their benefits and reopen KTL.

According to them, "We have done everything humanly possible to ensure that the money is paid to no avail, if nothing is done after this latest appeal we may soon embark on peaceful protests together with our wives and children to make President Yar 'Adua, Governor Aliyu and his colleagues to see our plight. This is more pathetic especially now as our Muslim brothers have nothing to break their fast during the on-going Ramadan fasting.

"We urge our governors to come to our aids in the spirit of Ramadan season and help us survive by paying us our benefits. May almighty God extend his mercies to our governors as they attend to our financial plight."