Cross River To Commission Garment Factory

By Dipo Olowookere

The multi-billion Naira garment factory sited in Cross River State will soon be commissioned by the state government, Business Post has learnt.

It is believed that by the time the project is finally commissioned, over 500 jobs would be created with widows and women given preference.

The garment factory is the brainchild of Governor Ben Ayade and it is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) driven.

The finance to train workers to be employed by the factory would be solely provided by the British government, while an Italian fashion design firm will provide the technical expertise.

The Italian company, which is also the core investor, will ensure that the garment factory becomes a leading exporter of fashion garments in Africa.

The factory will seek to target the lower end of the market, low prices and high turnover.

Already, the company has signed contracts with the Army, Police, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, Civil Defence, NYSC, and some schools to produce their uniforms.

It is also expected that garments produced by the factory located in Calabar, the state capital, can be marketed in the US under the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA).