The Nigerian Institute ofLeather and Science Technology (NILEST) has said plans are underway to establish mini factories in all states of thecountry to process hides and skin into leather.Nigeria Trader Selling Ponmo
NILEST Director-General,
Mohammed Yakubu, who is
also the chairman of the imimplementation committee of the national leather policy, in
a chat with NAN yesterday in Abuja, said more tanneries are necessary to provide the right infrastructure and tech
nology for the proper processing of leather.
Yakubu also said the establishment of the mini tanneries would reduce
consumption of hides and skin in the country, which
was being done largely because the number of industries cannot mop up the excess products generated every day. Animal skin is locally known as ‘ponmo’.
“We are eating the hides
and skin as ponmo because if we don’t eat it, the available industries cannot mop all the hides and skin produced,” adding that leather is a huge national resource with the potential to generate foreign exchange and massive employment.
