FG To Review Law Establishing DICON – Minister

The Federal Government says it will review the law which established the Defence Industries Corporation (DICON) to reposition it for profitability.

The Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, stated this on Monday in Kaduna while on an inspection tour of facilities at DICON.

Kayode said DICON could not be repositioned without first reviewing the act which established it.

“This act, which established DICON, was made in the 60s and there is no way this corporation could be made to function along the lines of profitability without changing it.

“We intend to give it a new legal framework that will place it on sound pedestal of profitability,’’ he said.

He said there was much to be achieved at DICON, disclosing that the federal government hoped to achieve the Vision 20:2020 using DICON.

Kayode said the Army would stop importation of small arms in the next five years after implementation of an envisaged plan.

“The armed forces have a plan of its transformation and by that plan, there will be no more importation of small arms.

“All their needs would be supplied by DICON; the corporation has the capacity to produce as a commercial enterprise and generate money,” he said.

He lamented the obsolete equipment at DICON, noting that it was impossible for the organisation to function effectively.

“No institution works that way, this place has to be repositioned and with the resilience of the staff, I am convinced we  will achieve the milestones,’’ he said.

Speaking earlier, the Director General of the corporation, Brig. Gen. Suleiman Labaran, said DICON was growing.

He expressed the hope that in the next four years, DICON would have the capacity to produce small arms for the Armed Forces.

Labaran, who assured that “ we will not import small arms in the next five years,” regretted that DICON had been comatose for long because of maladministration.