Leather Producers Lament Closure Of Factories, Decry Infrastructure Rot In Nigeria

  

The Federation of Leather and Allied Products Association of Nigeria, FOLAPAN, yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, appealed on the Federal Government to revive the leather industry in the country.

They lamented that lack of basic infrastructure including power, good road network, fund and water should be improved upon in the country to facilitate improved leather production.

Ad-hoc chairman of FOLAPAN, Mr. Chukwubuike Nwachukwu added that inadequate supply of quality leather had led to a declining demand which in turn has slowed the growth of the domestic market (GEMSI).

Nwachukwu who is also the chairman of Onitsha Shoes Materials Association hinted that inadequate provision of infrastructure has hindered increase in the production of leather.

He urged the Federal Government to regulate the sector so as to restore its lost glory pointing out that government should standardize the quality of leather that are imported into the country.

His words: “power supply is of the utmost importance to the production of garment and shoes in Nigeria and all over the whole world”.

“This is one of reasons the finishing of shoes and garments in Nigeria is always poor because the work is done manually instead of using machine and this is the competitive advantage the Asian countries have over us”.

“Until the manufacturers of garment and shoes in Nigeria begin to use the right tools in production, good finishing will remain a mirage. The manufactures need power to run their machines. The machines are not hand driven but electricity powered,” he said.

He stated that the nation leather sector is the second highest foreign exchange earner after the oil industry adding that the leather sector exported over 600 million square feet of leather in 2009 and earned about $680 million for tanned skin (GEMS12012).

 “In the 80s there were over 40 fully operational tanneries, however by the 1990s due to several constraints this figure fell sharply to only four functional tanneries, none of which are indigenously owned”.

“Between 1980 and 1986 there were about 13 leather foot wear companies in Nigeria, employing over 17,00 workers. However by 1995 the number of companies had reduced to seven, with 6,212 employees and by 2000, there were only three companies remaining with just about 2006 employees”.