The envoy whose country is known for great expertise in garment making, especially in embroidery, lauded the efforts of Governor Ben Ayade in initiating the project, maintaining that he would be willing to bring in expert from Britain to train its workforce in some critical areas of textile making to build the needed capacity and create the desired jobs. He High Commissioner said the factory holds huge employment opportunities that could be translated into enormous wealth creation among youths.
In his words: “Like I told the Governor, when we met in his office, we are working on details of how to move in as quickly as possible to kick start the training, by bringing in expertise.” He stressed that it was a right signal that the UK is really engaging with Nigeria. According to the High Commissioner, “With the right kind of will and matching the right expertise, we can really make a difference. Though talks are still in the preliminary stages, we are determined to push forward a bit.”
Arkwright who had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Governor in his office said he was visiting the State for the first time, adding that he had been talking to the state governor about the UK helping in creating employment opportunities and growth through aggressive entrepreneurship training programmes. He promised to sustain Britain’s cordial relationship with the state.
Responding, Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade who had earlier received the delegation in his office, informed Arkwright of his administration’s signature projects, with an urgent focus on the garment factory. He noted that the United Kingdom was renowned for its embroidery. “The partnership with the UK is one we are going for excellent and first class expertise. This is a strong partnership and we are hopeful that with strong commitments on training and guaranteed technical competence, Nigeria can maximize her potential on the garment sub-sector of the economy” he added.
