The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, Zaria, has trained over 1,000 youths from three states in leather processing and production.

The Director-General of the institute, Mohammed Yakubu, made this known during an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Yakubu said that the beneficiaries were from Nasarawa, Sokoto and Borno states.

He said that the collaboration with the Nasarawa government involved the setting up of a school and training of 750 people to acquire skills in the processing of leather products over the next five years.

He stated, “We are going to have a school in Doma; the target is to train 750 skilled artisans in the area of leather and leather products. The state government will provide the building, equipment and funding for us to run a skill acquisition programme for roughly 150 people in the state every year over the next five years. We have already signed the agreement, and we are in the process of purchasing the equipment, and before the end of the year, we are going to start the project in earnest.’’

The director-general also said that the institute and the Borno government had agreed to set up a centre and tannery in the state.

He said, “We visited the state and the governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, graciously accepted to build our centre there to be a cluster for other states around Borno. We already have a tannery, and Zulum is going to provide the equipment needed and expand our workshop there. It is to train their youths displaced by years of conflict. We are going to expand our activities in Maiduguri, and the governor has even pledged to provide housing accommodation for our staff. We are really happy with the level of commitment shown by Zulum. He has really shown interest in our activities, and he is willing to support us.’’

Mr Yakubu said that the project would support the healing process and proper resettlement of displaced persons in Borno State.

“It is important to provide skills to internally displaced persons so that they can take back their lives and have a means of livelihood. We visited one of the IDP camps in Maiduguri; we saw what they were doing in terms of different trades, and I believe we can do much better work for those interested in acquiring skills in leatherwork. The governor has seen the reason behind that and is ready to collaborate,” he said.

For Sokoto State, the director-general said that NILES would also train 500 youths over the next six months to acquire skills in making leather products.

He said that this followed the successful training of 100 people sponsored earlier by the state government.

“When the new governor of Sokoto State wanted to showcase his first 100 days of achievements, NILES featured prominently there because we trained 100 indigenes of the state for about one month.

“What they were able to produce in one month impressed the governor and he asked us to train another set of about 500 within the next six months.

“He has seen what we can do and how those trained were kept busy. He wants to make Sokoto another Ariaria within a very short time,” he said.

He said the institute had been collaborating with educational institutions within and outside the country in various aspects.

He stated, “We have collaboration with the Institute of Leather in Portugal; we paid a visit to them three months ago. We also have collaboration with the leather institute in Chennai, India, which was established a hundred years ago. We want to run an exchange programme with them so that our staff can go there for their MSC and PhD. We are also collaborating with Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exchange of staff, training, research and development in all areas we are involved in. This will boost our research portfolio.’’

(NAN)