[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ord’s first ever automobile assembly plant in Sub-Sahara Africa has been established in Lagos, Nigeria, courtesy of Coscharis Motors Plc, the nation’s exclusive official representative of the brand.
The plant, which is sighted on a piece of land of more than 14 Hectares within Coscharis Group’s head office in Lekki, Lagos, was unveiled to newsmen on Friday.
In his address to journalists at the event, Coscharis Group’s President/CEO, Dr Cosmas Maduka, said his company ventured into the project in response to the “clarion call of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP)”.
He stated: “This is also to appreciate the confidence that the globally respected iconic brand, FORD, reposed in us, as their exclusive official representative in Nigeria to roll out the very first Ford Assembly Plant in Nigeria.
“Therefore the fact that we have ventured into it headlong underpins the level of confidence and hope we have for the future of the Nigerian automotive industry.
“This is to underscore the human capital opportunities that stand to be delivered in terms of employment and by extension the multiplier effect on the economic development of our dear country, Nigeria.”
At the moment, according to Dr. Maduka, focus at the Plant is to rollout the Ford Ranger, a multipurpose mini-truck that serves well for both work and leisure.
“As you are all aware,” he pointed out, “Ford has a global standard for all of its products including the Ranger. Therefore, Ford’s certification of our facility and output is a confirmation that every single Ranger that rolls out of this plant is indeed ‘Built Ford Tough’ from which we’ve rolled out over 600 units from this facility since we started operation; some of which are on display outside.
“But we will not rest on our oars as we are sure to wax stronger into the future with the introduction of other great Ford variants into the assembly line.”
Dr. Maduka, therefore, called on the Federal government to give more support to the automotive industry.
He stated: “We can only but demand for governmental support in terms of by creating enabling environment vis-à-vis basic infrastructures that are required to keep the manufacturing process on and more importantly the purchase patronage of the finished products from the Plant.”
The unveil was concluded with media tour of the facility as well as demonstration of assembly process
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