Livestock Minister Commissions Leather Enterprise Centre, Hands Facility Over to ABCOAD

By Abdu Saidu

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, FNIM, on Friday commissioned and officially handed over the Leather Enterprise Centre to the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta (ABCOAD), in a major step towards strengthening vocational education, skills acquisition, and youth empowerment in Nigeria.

The Federal Government-funded facility is designed to enhance practical training, entrepreneurship, research, and innovation in leather processing and value addition, while creating employment opportunities for students and young entrepreneurs.

Welcoming the Minister and other dignitaries to the college, the Provost of ABCOAD, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the Governing Council, management, staff, and students, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development for establishing the centre.

He described the project as a landmark intervention that would transform practical teaching and learning within the institution, particularly in leather technology and entrepreneurship.

According to him, the Leather Enterprise Centre will provide students with hands-on training in leather processing, shoe manufacturing, and the production of other leather products, while also serving as a centre for academic research, innovation, and enterprise development.

The Provost disclosed that about 90 per cent of extension workers serving in Kano and Jigawa States are graduates of ABCOAD, reflecting the institution’s long-standing contribution to agricultural and livestock manpower development in Northern Nigeria.

He further announced that the college has established a Mobile Veterinary Service aimed at improving access to animal healthcare and extension services for livestock farmers across the region.

Representing the Kano State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Ali Haruna Makoda, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Salahuddeen Habibu Isah, described the commissioning of the Leather Enterprise Centre as a significant milestone in the state’s drive to strengthen technical and vocational education.

He said the facility would equip young men and women with practical and employable skills, enabling them to become self-reliant, create wealth, and reduce dependence on government employment.

The Permanent Secretary added that the centre would serve as a catalyst for the growth of the leather industry in Kano State and the wider Northern Nigeria. He therefore appealed to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to sustain its partnership with ABCOAD in view of its large student population and strategic role in developing skilled manpower for the agricultural sector.

Also speaking, the Kano State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Aliyu Isah Aliyu, commended the Federal Government for establishing the Leather Enterprise Centre and lauded the management of ABCOAD for its commitment to academic excellence and human capital development.

He noted that the facility would empower young people with marketable vocational skills, stimulate entrepreneurship, generate employment opportunities, and contribute significantly to the economic growth of Kano State.

Dr. Aliyu further stated that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf remains committed to implementing policies and programmes that improve the welfare of young people and promote sustainable socio-economic development across the state.

Performing the official handover of the facility, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, FNIM, described the Leather Enterprise Centre as a strategic investment by the Federal Government in technical education and youth empowerment.

He said the centre would provide students with practical knowledge, modern technical skills, and entrepreneurial competence in leather production, thereby preparing them to become employers of labour rather than job seekers.

The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting institutions with facilities that promote innovation, vocational education, and entrepreneurship, stressing that skills acquisition remains a critical pillar for job creation, economic diversification, and sustainable national development.

The commissioning ceremony attracted government officials, traditional rulers, heads of tertiary institutions, academics, development partners, industry stakeholders, students, and members of the public, who described the Leather Enterprise Centre as a timely investment that will strengthen Nigeria’s leather value chain and expand opportunities for skills development and entrepreneurship.