From June, I Will Wear Only Garment Factory Products – Ayade Says As Goods Hit Market

By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent

Products from the Calabar Garment Factory on Tuesday finally hit the market months after its completion and work commenced.

The products include blazers, jean trousers and shirts including uniforms of some paramilitary outfits with Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade saying from June 2017, he will not wear clothes not made from the factory.

“The garment factory today is a reality and it’s now producing in commercial quantities for export too,” Ayade said while been presented with samples of finished products from the factory, adding that: “Henceforth, starting from today, all executive members, all appointees must be in clothes made from Calabar Garment Factory and this is official.”

He continued: “By the close of next month, anything I put on my body will be made from Cross River Garment Factory. That is my sincere commitment to the state and for the 3,000 young people working in the factory.”

Governor Ayade said the state is leading and lifestyle, a pointer to his position that it will lead in “terms of fashion” and offered further insights to the focus of the factory.

“We are expanding into uniform production for school children and as you are well aware, we have had people from neighbouring states asking us to produce uniforms for them in hundreds of thousands. We are focused on getting the very best in Cross River garment Factory and of course, the school uniform.

“In no distant time, Cross River Garment factory will be the main fashion industry and company to beat. And if you are not dressed by Cross River Garment factory, you’re not dressed at all.”

On powering the factory, Ayade said that the state is “Working on providing renewable energy to support the factory to run at low costs,” and spoke on sourcing for raw materials.

“I am sincerely proud of what we have done and of course, and in the second phase when we are go back to the cotton farm project, we will definitely be producing with fabrics made from Cross River farm,” Ayade said.

“For the cotton farm, we are partnering with Arewa Cotton. So, the farm is in full gear and by next week, we are going on a tour of the cotton farm in Northern part of the state,” he added.