The majority of Nigerians consider cowhide (Ponmo) to be a delicacy, but the Federal Government may well have finalized plans to outlaw its sale and widespread consumption.
It was revealed that legislation was being proposed to
forbid the eating of ponmo in the nation on Monday, September 19, 2022, when
Muhammad Yakubu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Leather and
Science Technology (NILEST), Zaria, stated as much.
To save the leather sector and strengthen the economy of the
country, he claimed that people should quit eating ponmo, which has little
nutritious value.
The institution would approach the national parliament and
State governments to introduce laws banning the consumption of
"ponmo," the director-general continued, in coordination with
industry stakeholders.
"As far as I'm aware, Nigerians are the only people in
the world that overvalue skin as food; after all, ponmo isn't even
nutrient-rich.
"There was once a motion before the two chambers of the
national assembly; it was argued but I don't know how the subject was thrown
away," the speaker recalled.
He claims that the current status of the tanneries in Nigeria is mostly due to the consumption of animal skin.
He added that several basic issues facing the industry had
been addressed under the present National Leather Policy.
"People won't often have ponmo to purchase and eat if
we get our tanneries, footwear, and leather production in Nigeria running
effectively. When completely implemented, it would restart the majority of the
paralyzed tanneries and increase production, the man claimed.
Yakubu made a plea to the various parties involved to
support the legislation and the national leather policy in order to revitalize
the industry.
As stated in the Agricultural Research Institute Act of
1975, NILEST was founded to support the manufacture of leather. The institute
carries out studies on the use of domestic tanning resources in the nation as
well as the manufacturing of leather and leather products.
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