Northern Civil Society Groups Demand Sack of NILEST DG

The Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups (CACSG) has called for the sacking of the Director General of the Nigeria Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) Zaria, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu for alleged incompetence.

At a press conference in Kaduna, spokesman of the group, Abbas Aminu,  said Yakubu, lacks the technical know-how and capacity to harness the potential of the institute to boost the leather industry.

The group maintained that the leather industry, is a viable sector capable of generating huge revenue for the nation and equally create jobs.

The group regretted that key actors in the leather industry have lost confidence in the institute due to the alleged incompetence of the DG.

Aminu said: “Over time, authorities in Nigeria has alluded to the fact that the leather industry remains the second major viable foreign exchange earner after oil.

“This is also in tandem with the report of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

“Also, the 2019 macro-economic outlook report placed the contribution of domestic leather production at 24 per cent of the total agriculture GDP in Nigeria.

“However, despite all these indices of high possibility of economic diversification through the full utilization of the leather industry, the only institute saddled with the responsibilities of transforming this into reality has not lived up to expectations due to the lack of capacity by the DG of the institute.

“We want to emphatically state that NILEST under the stewardship of the DG, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu has failed in all ramifications and he should be sacked.”

The group also lashed at those attacking it for its stance on the NILEST DG, maintaining that as a civil society group, it had never been silent over issues of public interest.

Aminu said the CACSG has never shied away from commenting on issues of public interest, insisting that it is not a crime to ask questions when things done seem to be done appropriately done.

“We have commended and appreciated leaders whose performance are excellent and have equally spoke out about those who displayed gross failure and incompetence irrespective of political leaning or affiliation.

“We wish to repeat for the umpteenth time that the Prof. Mohammed Yakubu led management in NILEST, has failed.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the institute belongs to every Nigerian and our constituents form the demography of those working in the institute, when has it become an offence to ask questions and demand that things be done appropriately?”, the group said.