By Remi Basorun
The Director-General/CEO NILEST, Prof. Mohammed Kabir Yakubu has declared that the Institute, owing to its unrivaled economic contributions to the Wealth of the nation and great potentials to provide both direct and indirect employment to the teeming Nigerian Youths, is the one and only Hub of Leather and Leather Products Technology in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prof. M.K Yakubu declared this during a recent courtesy visit to His Office by the Distinguished Senator, Barrister Khalid Ibrahim, the Senator representing Kaduna North (Zone A) Senatorial District of Kaduna State.
In his welcome address, the DG described the visit by the Senator as a rare privilege, honour, and a hope for the good things to come the way of the Institute in no distant future. According to Prof. Yakubu, the Distinguished Senator, is an amiable, hard-working, and accomplished personality going by the array of achievements within the first 100 days in Office.
Briefing the guests, Prof. Yakubu realed out the Institute achievements in line with its core mandate. He also intimated on the youths and Women skill Acquisition and empowerment programmes carried out by the Institute adding, that the Institute between February 2021, when he assumed Office to date has trained and empowered over 600 youths and women in the areas of footwear and Leather-goods manufacture. He, therefore, solicits collaboration with the Senator in the training and empowerment area.
In the area of capital projects, Prof. Yakubu informed Barrister Khalid that the Institute has many capital projects, especially the Leather and Leather Products Development Entrepreneurship Centre, which is yet to be completed due to low budgetary allocation to the Institute.
In his response, the Senator thanked the DG and management for warm reception and promised to assist NILEST in all the areas possible.
