The Nigerian Air Force has expressed its readiness to partner the Cross River garment factory in the production of uniforms, flying and technicians suits and other materials.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this on Tuesday in Calabar during a courtesy visit to Gov. Ben Ayade.
He said that the partnership was driven by the directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari that the service should look inward and partner with industries to promote local content.
He expressed optimism in the quality of service by the garment factory, noting that it is one of the industries well positioned in the production of quality materials.
“I believe that we can create the partnership we require in terms of getting our uniforms requirements, flying and technician suits and other materials that we may require.
“We hope that at the end of this visit, we should be able to work out something with the Cross River garment factory and give some of the samples for them to see so that we can produce our materials locally.
“We are in Cross River because we realised that a country that is facing security challenges needs all hands to be on deck.
“I assure you that the Nigerian Air Force will partner with the garment factory to see how we can get some of our materials locally,” he said.
Speaking, Ayade said that the patronage of local content would help to create jobs and reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
He assured that with such collaboration the factory would continue to produce quality materials.
The governor, who expressed his support to Buhari for closing the borders, said the time has come for Nigerians to look inwards and patronize locally produced goods.
He commended Abubakar for being the first service chief to place an order for the local supply of garment.
“If we can produce uniform for the Air Force, we can produce for any other force,” Ayade said.
He said that his administration had gone into the production of rice seedlings, poultry, noodles, and others to add value to food production in the country.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Chief of Air Staff was conducted round the garment factory, rice seedlings and the noodles factory by Ayade.
