Why Nigeria Wants To Ban ‘Ponmo’ Consumption | READ DETAILS
The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), Zaria, Kaduna State, is proposing a ban on the consumption of cow skin known as ‘Ponmo’.
Speaking in Abuja, the Head of NILEST, Muhammad Yakubu, said Ponmo lacks nutritional value and should not be consumed by humans.
He also argued that consumption of Ponmo should be banned as it contributes to the decrease in production in the country’s leather industry.
Yakubu called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to enact a law banning the consumption of Ponmo.
“To the best of my knowledge, Nigerians are the only people in the world that overvalue skin as food, after all, Ponmo has no nutritional value,” Yakubu said.
He noted that the current National Leather Policy has addressed some fundamental problems of the industry, adding that; “If we get our tanneries, our footwear, and leather production working well in Nigeria, people will hardly get pomo to buy and eat,” Yakubu said.
“When implemented fully, it would turn around most of the comatose tanneries and ginger greater output in production.”