Dutse — Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Sule Lamido yesterday said if the Nigerian textile industry was thriving, it would have bailed the country from the current economic meltdown.

The governor who spoke while receiving a team from Elliott Consulting Limited, London led by its Managing Director, Mr. Edward Elliott, said it was unfortunate that Nigerians were not patronizing indigenous textile materials. Governor Lamido maintained that Nigerians did not need anything from other countries to develop themselves, saying what the country lacked was patriotism and commitment.

"If African countries can focus on their basic needs, I am sure they would advance within the shortest time.

I am therefore advising Elliott Consulting Limited to always think of the basic needs of the states it's partnering", he said.

He said if the firm and state governments could work on basic needs of the people, the current trend would change, noting that the policies of the company tallies with Jigawa State policy on empowerment. Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, Elliott Consulting Limited, London, Mr. Edward Elliott, said the management of the company was in Jigawa to partner the state on economic empowerment, especially in agriculture, commerce and information technology. Mr. Elliott said already, the company had visited Lagos and Jigawa States and would later visit Kano and Katsina States.