*Muhammad Yakubu, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, says the habit of eating animal skin (Ponmo) should be stopped to save the industry and boost the country’s economy

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In order to improve the fortune of the industrial leather industry in the country, the Federal Government has said it is proposing a legislation to ban the consumption of animal skin, known in local parlance as “Ponmo”.

Muhammad Yakubu, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), in Zaria, Kaduna State, stated this Sunday, September 19, 2022, in Abuja, FCT.

绿帽献妻 reports NILEST was set up to promote leather production, as provided in the Agricultural Research Institute Act of 1975.

The Institute also conducts research the production and products of leather and the utilisation of local tanning materials in Nigeria.

It is recalled that the government has been in the vanguard of banning the consumption the animal skin as far back as 2014.

The authorities also, have described “Ponmo” consumption as dangerous to human health.

Yakubu noted that the new legislation is necessary to revive the comatose leather industry in the country.

According to him, the habit of eating animal skin, which he said “has no nutritional value,” should be stopped to save the industry and boost the national economy.

The NILEST Director-General further stated the Institute, in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry, would approach the National Assembly (NASS) and state governments to formulate legislation banning 鈥淧onmo鈥� consumption.

鈥淭o the best of my knowledge, Nigerians are the only people in the world that overvalue skin as food.

“After all, Ponmo has no nutritional value.

鈥淎t one point, there was a motion before the two chambers of the national assembly, it was debated but I don鈥檛 know how the matter was thrown away,” said he.

The Director-General said the current National Leather Policy has addressed some fundamental problems of the sector.

Yakubu further stated: 鈥淚f we get our tanneries, our footwear and leather production working well in Nigeria, people will hardly get Ponmo to buy and eat.

鈥淲hen implemented fully, it would turn around most of the comatose tanneries and ginger greater output in production.鈥�

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