Law to ban eating of ‘ponmo’ underway

The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), Zaria, says it is proposing a legislation to ban the consumption of animal skin, locally known as ponmo.

Prof Muhammad Yakubu, Director General of NILEST, said the legislation was necessary to revive the comatose leather industry in the country.

He noted that the habit of eating animal skin, which had no nutritional value, should be stopped in order to save the industry and boost the nation’s economy.

He said, “To the best of my knowledge, Nigerians are the only people in the world that overvalue skin as food; after all kpomo has no nutritional value.”

The DG said the institute, in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry, would approach the National Assembly and state governments to bring out legislation banning kpomo consumption.

He further said, “At a point, there was a motion before the two chambers of the National Assembly; it was debated, but I don`t know how the matter was thrown away.”

He revealed that the consumption of animal skin was partly responsible for the comatose state of tanneries in Nigeria.

He said, “If we get our tanneries, our footwear and leather production working well in Nigeria, people will hardly get ponmo to buy and eat.’’

(NAN)