Leather industry, yet to be exploited for economic growth


In a bid to boost Nigeria’s industrialisation process, the federal government recently inaugurated a national steering committee to implement Leather Products Policy to boost the industry on a larger scale. Binta Shama reports.

National growth

In the pursuit of national industrial growth, the federal government steered up a committee to enforce the leather product grow through innovation.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who through his office is obligated with the responsibility to carry same,  advised Nigerians to take advantage of the low cost of labour and invest in the leather industry.

He said all efforts would be deployed to ensure effective implementation of the policy, adding that past efforts at industrialisation failed because “we didn’t do first thing first.”

Moroccan leather sourced from Nigeria

He added that the widely acclaimed Moroccan Leather products were actually sourced from Nigeria.

He said, “The leather industry is very critical to national growth and development because it will boost Nigeria’s Gross   Development Product (GDP) and increase the foreign exchange earnings. The policy will solve most of the problems hindering the growth of the leather sector and will enable Nigeria to produce shoes, belts and other leather products similar to what is obtained in other developed countries   of the world,” he stated.

Working committee

He further said, “The committee is expected to set up working plan and budget for the effective implementation exercise of the policy within two months.  It is also expected to coordinate and monitor the optimal implementation of the policy in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders and also conduct validation and sensitization workshops for stakeholders in six geographical zones in order to review the draft implementation framework.”

Onu said the committee could also review the policy in the future after adequate consultation   to reflect emerging needs and bridge existing gaps in the policy and also provide related feedback and submit report to the ministry from time to time.

Strategic implementation of the plan

Present at the event was the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bitru Bako Nabasu, charging the committee to ensure the actualization of this strategic implementation plan to enable Nigeria realize the gains in the leather sector.

The chairman of the committee and the Director-General of Nigeria Institute of Leather, Science and Technology (NILEST), Dr Oparah said that the leather industry has a lot of potentials but has not been given the boost, adding that this step is the beginning of the revitalization of the   leather sector.

Executive order 5

In same vain to pursue the government’s drive for a greater tomorrow for the country, the minister received the Draft Bill on the Executive Order 5 by the Inter-Ministerial Committee

The Chairman of the Committee and Director, Legal Services in the Ministry, Mrs Yvonne Odu-Thomas, told the minister how the committee took time to do a detailed assessment of the Executive Order 5 and came out with a comprehensive draft which was eventually submitted.

She recalled that the “Presidential Executive Order No.5 for Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian contents in Contracts, Science, Engineering and Technology, was signed by the President on February 2, 2018 and has been duly gazetted.”

It is expected to empower Nigerians to use their talents and skills to contribute to national development and also create the platform for Nigerians to leverage on natural resources so as to be self-reliant.

Nigerians to produce what they need

On the other hand, Onu said the Draft Bill would give Nigeria the capacity to produce things it needs and will also instill national pride in Nigerians.

He lauded the Inter-Ministerial Committee for producing a documents that will be sustainable, adding that Nigeria ought to have done this long time ago.

He said the Draft Bill would be studied before it is forwarded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for its scrutiny before being forwarded to the  National Assembly for passage into law.

He said when the Draft Bill is signed into law, it would be of great benefits to the country and would encourage Nigerians to create wealth and jobs for the nation.

He commended the inter-ministerial committee   for a job well-done adding that its efforts is crucial in speeding up the Bill by the National Assembly.

2 science resource centres launched

Recently, via the office of the minister of science and technology, the government once again, flagged-off two Science Resource Centres in Imo.

“The centre will give all necessary training needed for business growth and will boost Nigeria’s export and ensure less reliance on oil and gas. The centres will help increase job and wealth creation, and if we improve on our productivity we would become more versatile, thus creating more international demand for our products”.

He said skills induced by technology are more durable, cost-effective and beneficial to the society, adding that Agencies of the ministry are now geared to impart relevant skills to Nigerian youths through technological innovations.  

Onu graced the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Research and Design Extension Centre of Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) and the Bio-Resource Development Centre of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA).

He described both agencies as being the pivot of the ministry, further said the centres will assist the people in agricultural production and boost other economic activities.

The minister described the centre as a regional-bloc project for the South-east and assured that similar centres would be established in other geo-political zones of the country.

He charged the host community, to ensure proper protection of properties at the centre.

The beneficiaries of the centres, according to Dr. Onu would be encouraged to access credit facilities from the Bank of Industry pending the creation of a Science and Technology bank that would assist scientists, inventors and innovators to access credit at low interest rates.

The Acting Director-General of NILEST, Dr Oparah, said the NILEST centre will bring the enormous benefits of leather to the South-East region and Nigeria at large. She appealed to all stakeholders to ensure the success of the project.

In his own speech, the Acting Director-General of National Biotechnology Development Agency(NABDA), Prof. Alex U. Akpa said the NABDA resource centre will help in protecting the environment and curtailing erosion while improving economically important bio-resources.

The Bio-resource centre, he added, will empower youths and women in skills acquisition and bio-resources wealth creation.  

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