The Cross River State Governor, Benedict Ayade and the visiting Bangladesh High Commissioner to NIgeria, Shameem Ahsan, during the courtesy visit on Monday, 21st October, closed rank on Garment Production.
The Bangladesh and Cross River State Governments have identified a common interest on the production of garments as the Commissioner to Nigeria paid courtesy visit to the Governor on Monday.
Speaking while receiving the Bangladesh High Commissioner, Governor Benedict Ayade disclosed that the state will be signing an exportation contract with Bangladesh on Garments in order to take advantage of African Growth Opportunities.
“We will be signing a very big contract with Bangladesh to work with us and take advantage of the African Growth Opportunities Act. Bangladesh wants to partner with us for the export of garments from Cross River to America.”
Gov. Ayade who described 7.8 percent economic growth recorded by the Asian country last year as as dramatic, posited that the country “will be a very good example for Nigeria to follow and to learn from,” and that, “we want to see how a small country of that nature will be doing 22,000 megawatts of power when Nigeria is still struggling with 7,000. So, we are excited that we are coming to learn, to partner and create a higher synergy between the two countries.”
The governor who got an invitation to visit Bangladesh, stated that though Bangladesh shares similar challenges of development with Africa, it has shown tremendous progress in that regard.
Ayade stressed the need for Africa not to only do business with the Asian nation but tap into the country’s great potentials.
“From the little I watch on CNN, Bangladesh is like one of the villages in Ajegunle, Nigeria. The picture and contents of Bangladesh will change entirely with my visit.
He went further to praise the High Commissioner for not sitting in the embassy, allowing his tenure run to waste, also describing him as “a practical ambassador who is going round the country seeking to attract businesses and opportunities,” promising that, “vistas of opportunities will be opened for the country to partner with the state in other sectors.”
On benefit, Shameem Ahsan, maintained that both countries will gain from the deal.
“Both Bangladesh and Cross River will benefit through the sharing of our best practices approach on the garment factory, even as Bangladesh will offer lots of things including technical expertise and managerial skills.”
Impressed with the facilities on ground at the Cross River garments factory, the High Commissioner remarked that, “it is a huge production unit with sophisticated facilities which will tremendously impact on the people and economy of the state and Nigeria at large.”
Bangladesh is the second most largest producer and exporter of garments in the world, after China.
