- Factory at 68% completion
BY COBHAM NSA – Driving the Federal Government’s efforts at enhanced domestic production, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is upbeat that from January 2023 Nigeria will boast of locally produced uniforms for its military and paramilitary personnel.
The project is a Joint Venture Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Sur Corporate Wear to create the Sur Corporate Wear Nigeria Limited.
ICRC said the cheering news is that the DICON Sur collaboration, expected to span a concession period of 20 years, will be responsible for producing uniforms for the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence, and other military and paramilitary organisations.
However, the January 2023 proposed date is subject to the uniforms’ designs being approved for the company to begin sourcing its raw materials for production.
A meeting held at the instance of ICRC had the Commission’s Acting Director-General, Michael Ohiani charging stakeholders in the project to resolve all issues obstructing the factory’s speedy completion and report back within one week.
Also, at the rescheduled meeting chaired by ICRC’s Director, Contract Compliance Department (CCD), Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, all stakeholders were encouraged to ensure the project is completed within the stipulated time frame.
Ewalefoh described the project as very important to Nigeria given its capacity to curb capital flight, and create over 920 jobs; while also serving as a thing of pride that the country now produces uniforms for its military and para-military personnel.
Noting that progressively the DICON Sur joint venture is expected to source all its raw materials from within Nigeria, the Director said; “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 said.
He assured all stakeholders that as part of its regulatory function, the Commission will liaise with all the relevant government agencies to fast-track the ongoing process of securing approval for off-takers when production begins in January.
Furthermore, he said going forward, the ICRC, through its CCD, will make the DICON Sure Project a priority by monitoring its progress until completion, adding that the Commission will not relent in intervening to make PPP projects operate smoothly in the country.
A statement by the ICRC’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Manji Yarling also quoted the Managing Director of Sur Corporate Wear Nigeria Ltd, Burhan Can Karabulut as commending the management of ICRC for intervening and ensuring that the project was hitch-free.
Karabulut, who also expressed the investors’ confidence in the arrangement, said following the ICRC’s intervention and the ensuing stakeholders’ meeting, the investors have agreed to release funds so that the project is completed on schedule.
According to him, the company has taken the project to about 68 per cent completion and the remaining funds will soon be released to meet the completion target.
The Sur Corporate Wear boss further informed participants at the interactive session that with work resuming in July, “It is assumed that we can start commissioning as of January, but the commissioning will not be 100 per cent production.”
He, however, said with the uniforms’ designs still awaiting approval, the company cannot commence sourcing its raw materials because production can not begin immediately without the necessary approval.
