Emefiele’s push for local military uniforms production gets a boost
Obinna Emmanuel
Efforts by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to boost local production of military uniforms has received a boost as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Sur Corporate Wear Nig. Ltd enter
a Joint Venture Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the production of all military uniforms in the country.
The deal brokered by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) would see the factory commencing the production of the uniforms, as from January, 2023.
The DICON-Sur collaboration which would span a concession period of 20 years, would be responsible for producing uniforms for the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Police, and paramilitary organisations.
Mr. Emefiele had initiated off-taker deals between local textile firms and the military, in other to halt the huge foreign exchange spent on the importation of military and paramilitary uniforms.
In a meeting at the instance of the ICRC, last week, the Commission’s Acting Director General Michael Ohiani, had charged all stakeholders in the DICON-Sur project to resolve all issues that were hindering the completion of the factory and report back to the Commission in one week.
Mr. Manji Yarling, Ag. Head, Media & Publicity of the ICRC, issued a release, yesterday indicating that at the rescheduled meeting, chaired by Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, Director of the Contract Compliance Department, the ICRC urged all stakeholders to ensure that the project was completed within the stipulated time frame.
The Director said that the project was very important to the nation, as it would curb capital flight, create over 920 jobs and will also be a thing of pride for the nation to produce its own uniforms.
He added that, with time, the DICON-Sur joint venture was expected to source all its raw materials from within Nigeria, in order to save theforeign exchange currently spent on the importation of the uniforms .
His words, “The fact that we produce our military and paramilitary uniforms locally is a pride to all of us. It is a pride that we all must uphold.
“Sudan is producing their own military kits and I know DICON can do it if they have the right support.”
He assured all stakeholders that the ICRC, as part of its regulatory function would liaise with all the relevant government agencies to fast-track the on-going process of securing approval for off takers when production begins in January.
According to him, the ICRC, through its Contract Compliance Department (CCD), would make the DICON-Sure Project a priority until completion.
Speaking at the interactive meeting, the Managing Director of Sur, Mr. Burhan Can Karabulut, commended the management of ICRC for intervening and ensuring that the project was hitch-free.
He said that the company had so far taken the project to 68 per cent completion and that the remaining funds for the project would be released soon so as to meet the completion goal.
“If the work resumes in July, it is assumed that we can start commissioning as of January.”
