By Uche Mbah
Angry reactions have trailed the hiring of a Turkish firm to sow for security Agencies by President Muhammadu Buhari, and also surprisingly from the Security Community, who points out the adverse security implications of the move. Besides, local textile firms are up in arms against the move, believing the order is capable of destroying the industry.
The local garment makers in Aba have been adjudged the strongest emerging textile and Fashion markets of the world, and actually the best in Africa. In fact, on the visit of former Prime Minister of Britain to Nigeria, she had to wear a dress made in Aba, openly praising and endorsing the Aba fashion Industry.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on his return from Russia, has brought in a Turkish firm, Sur Corporate Wear, to partner with the Kaduna based Defence Idustries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON. DICON is a state owned firm. Critics of the government had asserted that he did it to spite the Aba Textile and Fashion industry, pointing this out as part of the manifestation of Buhari’s alleged “hatred for the Igbo”.
According to Bashir Magashi, the Defence Minister, the Turkish firm will develop a local brand, for which they will be given $13 million-about N5 billion-to create Viability for the firm.
This is coming at a time that Nigeria has closed its borders against its African neighbors to stimulate growth of home grown industries.
Many textile entrepreneurs, however, believe that the whole issue smacks of blatant unpatriotism.
“I don’t understand why the job is given to a foreigner when local investors have indicated interest in it”, The managing Director of Sara and Sara, Folake Oyemade, was reported to have said. “I have two garment factories and we have more than a thousand workers. I don’t know what the Turkish firm is bringing to Kaduna state that we cannot do. The state government even offered them equity. We had also approached them for the same project but we did not ask for equity, yet it didn’t see the light of day. We offered to build a factory and employ their youths but nothing came out from it.”
Buhari has travelled to Saudi Arabia, and will from there go to London on a “private visit”. Critics claim he is off again for medical tourism that he condemned in strongest terms during his campaign in 2015. In the 2020 budget, Aso Rock clinic has not been given up to N1 billion for its operations.
Only recently Buhari gave an order mandating all procuring authorities to favor Nigerian companies and firms in contract awards, in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007.
According to him, he had asked the CBN to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian military and paramilitary outfits, as part of efforts to revive the Cotton, Textiles and Garment (CTG) sector in Nigeria, which they did..
“After a series of engagements, the CBN initiated the signing of an unprecedented MoU between the Service Chiefs, chief executives of uniform services and textile garment manufacturers on enforcement of Executive Order 003 in support of local urgent procurement,” he had said.
The president then had insisted on the need to train the existing 40,000 garments and textile industry workers in the country.
