Business
A Leather Technologist, Dr Solomon Tanko, has urged the Federal Government to key into global trade leather market, properly, to create jobs for youths in the country.
Tanko, who is alos the President, Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists of Nigeria (SLTCN), made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He said leather was an article of international trade which had changed the economies of many nations such as Italy, Spain and some Asian countries, through its robust value chain.
“The global leather trade is puts at 100 billion dollars per annum. Therefore, it is natural for Nigeria to key into global trade property to create jobs for our youths.
“This will avail the country the opportunity to produce and meet the local demand as well as increase our exports to earn foreign exchange and as increase the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Besides, if the 200 million reported population in the country can buy a pair of leather shoes in a year, you can see that it is a big market.
“It is unfortunate that Nigeria is importing shoes instead of us to be exporting to other countries,’’ he said.
According to him, the market for leather products is available, the technology is also available and we have all it takes to produce leather for international market.
Tanko said the association conducted a research during the 2019 Sallah and the outcome of the study was overwhelming.
“We conducted a research and the first day in Kano Metropolis alone, we collected over four million pieces of skin from ram and sheep.
“If we continue, we will get five times of that, particularly the skin of sheep which can be used for warm clothing and other purposes.
“We are fortunate in this country, that we are within a temperate region and do not use them for clothing, we use them for bags and shoes.
“In the temperate region, the countries have to continue to import sheep skins into their countries to be able to produce warm clothing,’’ he said.
According to him, sheep skin is a value material; even the goat skin is a material that is highly demanded in the international market. We have hides from other animals.
“In fact, in the business of leather, you can use the skin of any animal; we have raw skin from fish, from bird and even chicken.
“There is nothing we cannot get raw skin from. It depends on what you want to produce.
“In terms of processing, leather is very easy to process, we have the technology but it involves a lot of equipment and chemicals to do that.
“I can assure you that when we are talking about investment in leather, Nigerian economy can be improved and translate to developing the leather industry,’’he said.
NAN reports that SLTCN is a body that brings together professionals and academics from different fields of study with the aim of addressing practical issues of the leather industry. (NAN)
– Sept. 30, 2019 @ 14:59 GMT |
Tags: expert urges FG Key into leather industry to create jobs for youths
