In a bid to further promote locally made goods in Nigeria, the Ogun State Government has assured of progressive partnership, seamless certification, market expansion, as well as linkage to opportunities with industries across the State, to create an enabling environment to ply trades for formidable and increased productivity.

          Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical and Vocational Education, Prof. Joseph Odemuyiwa, who gave the assurance in his office in Abeokuta, while playing host to the executives of Cobblers and Leather Artisans Association of Nigeria (COLAAN), Ogun State Chapter, revealed that the government was aware of trade association’s strides and contributions to the economy of the State.

Odemuyinwa said the present administration is determined to make the sector more viable by addressing challenges confronting them, adding that they would be linked to industries to enhance their profit and to enable them to compete favorably with others in any part of the country.

 “Your Association, among others, is relevant in our drive at partnering artisans across the State and ensuring seamless certification, as well as streamlining your activities with the view to addressing challenges confronting you.  As a government, we will not rest on our oars to see that you have an enabling environment to ply your trade.

He promised to facilitate and expand the offering of Leather Works as a trade subject in the remaining seven Government Science and Technical Colleges (GSTCs) across the State, as it is only offered in GSTC, Ilara in collaboration with COLAAN and other stakeholders in the leather industry, pointing out that it would further make the trade attractive to the young ones.

Prof. Odemuyiwa said the government would facilitate the usage of the hide and skin laboratory in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture for leather work, which could also serve as a hub for their trade, advising them to coordinate their members across the nooks and crannies of the State, so that no one would be left out in its intervention.

Speaking earlier, Coordinator and Secretary of COLAAN in the State, Comrades Fashina Akorede and Salami Idowu respectively, applauded the government for its immense support, calling for more intervention in the area of establishment of shoemaking hubs across the State with sophisticated machines to guarantee quality output, just as they volunteered to teach free vocational education in shoemaking and other leather-related products across secondary schools and higher institutions.