As various states in Nigeria battle to contain the ravaging global pandemic, COVID-19, the Lagos State, Benue State and a Kano-based business mogul, Alhaji Isiaku Rabiu, have separately placed orders for nose masks from the Cross River State Garment Factory.
While Lagos State placed order for one million nose masks, Rabiu ordered for 100,000 pieces of the masks to assist the Kano State Government contain the pandemic.
The Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, who made the disclosure Monday at the garment factory in Calabar, stated that production of masks has been ramped up at the factory following the orders.
Apart from states, other organisations that have made orders for masks from the factory include construction giants, Julius Berger, and DHL.
Ayade said: “We have Julius Berger, a construction company, that has made a massive order.
“Shoprite also has made a massive order.
“We have also received an order of one million masks from Lagos State Government.
“Alhaji Isaiaku Rabiu made an order for 100,000 masks for Kano State.”
Ayade said he was at the factory to carry out an inspection on quality control and ensure that the masks were made according to specifications.
He said: “As you can see, we are here at the garment factory to carry out an inspection on quality control of preparation of the masks and ensuring that by the time they finish the ironing process, it will go through a sterilisation chamber, which is an innovation.”
He disclosed that plans were under way to design military style masks for the military and para military organisations.
According to him, the special masks will come with fitted special protection and air filtration systems.
Ayade said: “As you are all aware, Cross River State started the concept of cloth mask.
“So we want to use this opportunity to say we want to move into the new brand of a military mask, which will have special protection and special air filtration as well as special breathing support systems to enable the military use it on a daily basis even in the face of a biological warfare.”
The governor maintained he has taken time to wear the mask in different combination of clothes to create awareness and to show that no matter how you dress, there is a mask that can fit with your dressing.
He said: “I have taken time to wear the mask in different combination of clothes not just for the purpose of wearing the mask, but to create awareness on the use of the masks
“And also as a means of marketing.
“That even if you are wearing a traditional attire, there are masks that can go with your dressing.
“If you intend to go with a jean and a top, it can still fit.
“So whether you are young or middle aged or old, there is always a way and style that the mask will fit.
“And until Coronavirus is over, wearing masks has to become our way of life.”
Ayade expressed optimism that with the support of the Federal Government, Cross River State should be in a position to start exporting masks to other African countries in the near future.
He said: “I believe that with the support of the Federal Government, we should be in a position to start exporting masks to other African countries very soon.
“With our installed capacity at three shifts, we can do close to a million masks a day and I’m happy the Federal Government is adopting wearing of nose masks as a national policy.”
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