FEC okays National leather policy

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday
approved leather products policy for the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, briefed
State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by
President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He was with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

The new policy, he said, is to harness the leather resources in
the country in order to export finished leather products out of the
country.

Noting that leather products have imparts in every area of a
Nigerian life, he said that it was not in favour of Nigeria to
export semi-finished leather products.

He recalled that for 2013 alone, leather contributed $921
million to the Nigerian economy.

He said “National leather products policy will enable government
attract more investment into the sector. We would now harness our
leather resources in a manner that will allow us make more gains
instead of exporting raw leather or semi finished products.

“We want to prepare our nation so that we can process our
leather and use the leather in production of finished leather
products.

“This has application in almost every sector of our economic
life, including footwear, apparels and automobile industry. There
is hardly any machine that you will open without finding leather
component. This is the only we can create more jobs and a lot of
wealths. We would be in a position to fight poverty.

“In any country, they always start with textiles and then
leather. Here we have comparative advantage because our Labour cost
is low.” he said

As far as light leather is concerned, he disclosed that Nigeria
is number two in Africa and number 8 in terms of exporting leather
in the world.

He said “If we harness the leather we have in Nigeria and that
we processed our hides and skins, we will be creating a lot of jobs
and wealth because of the small scale enterprises that will spring
up. You will now be having new business springing up. President
Buhari is very much interest in sense ring that those who want to
work can work.

“In terms of contributions, leather contributes almost $921m to
our economy, as at 2013. There was a time leather was number three
in terms of contributions from the non- oil sector. We believe that
leather will help us achieve much to the economy.” he said.

On health hazards associated with processing, he said “This is
exactly why you have the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology
and we have the Leather Research Institute in Zaria.

“This institute is conducting research in the various segments.
This is the only organization permitted to offer higher train in
leather industry. You use certain chemicals you have to find away
to treat before you can discharge them into any water source.

“A percentage will be in what is environmentally acceptable.
They are working on that at the moment. We are very much aware of
that because we have ternaries at the moment. We want to make that
our people are safe.” he said

Responding to question on the threat of the Shiites protests in
the FCT, Lai Mohammed said “This came up for discussion, the Hon.
Minister of FCT was asked to take up the matter with his own
security committee.”