Union Blasts FG Over Aba Cobblers’ Military Contract

KANO— National Association of Footwear and Accessories Manufacturing and Distribution has accused the Federal Government of violating due process in the award of military contract to clusters of Aba-based cobblers.

Spokesman of the group, Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Haruna, told journalists in Kano, yesterday, that the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, which awarded the contract on behalf of the Federal Government, never called for bidding from the public as stipulated by the relevant laws.

The military had, last month, announced plans to buy 50,000 pairs of military boots produced in Aba in an effort to look inward.

Haruna said: “I don’t know the system they employed to award the military contract to Aba-based cluster of cobblers, but it was glaringly evident that due process was grossly violated by the minister and her officials.”

He described the patronage of unregistered local cobblers as high security risk, adding that it was an open invitation to criminals to acquire security outfit with ease.

He opined that “military footwears are special and if you choose to buy from an open market like Aba, where criminals have equal access, you are simply compromising national security.”

Haruna recalled several meetings with the Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, Aisha Abubakar, before the final decision, stressing that they were left in the cold when it mattered.
He said: “We don’t begrudge patronage of local cobblers, but our concern is that such feat shouldn’t risk national security, especially now that we are confronted with a number of challenges.”