Summit to discourage consumption of ponmo opens in Lagos

A four day summit to further discourage Nigerians from the consumption of raw hides, popularly called Ponmo is underway in Lagos.

Tagged “Ponmo Summit 2023, it is
organised by the National Steering Committee on Leather and Leather Products Policy Implementation Plan, in collaboration with Lagos State Government and other key players in the Leather industry.

Statistics from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture show that out of the 15 million cattles slaughtered annually in Nigeria, 13.2 million raw hides from the animals end up as ponmo, while just one point eight million are used as leather production input.

Welcoming participants to the summit, the
Chairman of the Steering Committee on and Director General, Nigerian Institute for Leather Science Technology, NILEST, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu, who noted that the country cannot continue to waste this important economic resource explained that the summit was part of the engagements to stop the eating of ponmo.

He said “We were here last year and we got so much support from the Lagos State government, that’s why we chose to kick-start the campaign for us to stop the eating of ponmo, we are engaging those in the ponmo business to see how we can integrate them, if they don’t do ponmo business, which business can they engage in, particularly in the Leather Value Chain, that’s the reason why this campaign is starting in Lagos State, which I think is the centre of ponmo eating in Nigeria”

Pointing out that the leather industry can help diversify Nigeira’s economy, the divisional head, SME-South at the Bank of Industry, Mr Obaro Osah stated that low interest finance is available for those who want to engage in the business.

Mr Osah urged the Committee and NILEST to further collaborate with Nigerians interested in the sector to create new jobs, including recycling of old leather products.

“Inputs from the leather industry are required in the fashion, furniture, automobile and so many other industries, so, if the potentials are properly harnessed to create business internally, it has a lot of multiplier impact” he said

On his part, the Vice President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Akin Kupoliyi, urged the relevant government agencies to educate Nigerians on the accruing benefits in the Leather industry to effect the urgently needed change

Mr Akin Kupoliyi who is an engineer noted that “Education and awareness, people will keep up eating ponmo if they don’t know the alternative value it can give to us, if we don’t eat ponmo, Nigeria will have over 17 billion dollars in foreign exchange, that is what people need to know, that’s the attraction, the incentive, the first thing is for people to be aware of the inpirtance of the leather industry, instead of importing leather, we can export, generate employment and income”.