Business
Group Lauds Ayade Over Garment Factory
Following the election mandate and promise of Senator Prof. Ben Ayade to build a garment factory and create employment for women and mostly widows in the State, members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Cross River State, has applauded His Excellency for the progress achieved.
The Chairman of the Association, Comrade Umo Basi-Edet who applauded Senator Ayade for keeping his promise to empower women through the garment factory project during a tour of the Garment factory stated that the Ayade-led administration has touched lives, adding that female journalists across the State appreciate the kind gesture.
She enjoined those who have doubts about the factory to go and see for themselves that work is in progress, calling on all Cross Riverians to join hands to support Senator Ayade’s administration and pray to God for wisdom and direction in his effort to build the State.”
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Peter Egba, said “one of the campaign promises of Senator Ben Ayade was to industrialize the State for the purpose of job and wealth creation for the people and, of course, raise the economic and financial stakes of Cross River State. This project is not a white elephant project as some people may have tagged it. Work has started, it is in progress and the garment factory has come to stay. So against all odds, His Excellency has set up this factory to see to it that women especially widows, who account for 60 percent of the employment, benefit the most. Senator Ayade’s vision and reality of industrialization will take us away from total dependency on Federal Allocation”.
While leading a tour of the facility, Commissioner Egba explained that work starts at 9am to 5pm with one hour break between 1 to 2pm daily, adding that labour is divided in such a way that production is easy and fast.
“There are people whose roles are to iron the clothes, some fix the bottons, others collars and so on. There are about 600 machines on ground, new order has been placed for more and every machine is electronic. 30 air conditioners are about to be installed. For the first batch of workers undergoing training, we have 300 in number, 260 of which are females and 40 males, to help with the maintenance of the equipment. It is expected that at the end of the employment process, 3000 people will be employed to accommodate the two shifts that the factory will run,” he said.
their uniforms”.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.