Mr. Benjamin Daniel, a cobbler, says he smiles to the bank with about N300,000 monthly.
Daniel, who makes footwears in Manchok, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday at Manchok.
The cobbler said that shoemaking and repairs were a “gold mine for job creation’’.
He called on governments at all levels to exploit the huge potential in footwear to get the youth gainfully employed.
Daniel said that with N10,000 daily, it was possible for a cobbler to earn about N260,000 monthly if he or she was serious and committed to the work.
“I make an average of N10,000 daily from selling all kinds of footwear that I make ranging from N700 to N6,000, which takes me a day or two to finish, depending on the kind of footwear.
“This is in addition to an average of seven to 10 foot wears brought to my shop daily for repairs, which cost between N200 and N1,000.
“All in all, I am smiling to the bank with about N300,000 monthly. This is more than what most civil servants get as monthly salary,’’ he said.
According to him, the trade, if well tapped, can take thousands of idle youths off the streets.
“The country’s huge population is a ready market with enough space for millions of youths to tap from the lucrative trade,’’ he said.
Daniel, who said he had been in the business for 12 years, said it took him four and a half years to learn the trade.
He said: “I started making footwear in 2005, from just making a pair, sell and reinvest the money.
“Gradually I raised money to rent a shop and slowly increase my production from a pair to two.
“I kept growing slowly, and now I produced an average of 10 different foot wears daily and so far trained four youths who have set up their own businesses and are making huge money.
“Five youths are currently undergoing training and would soon graduate,”
Daniel said that he needed government support with capital to expand production capacity as well employ and train more hands.
Besides, the cobbler urged the Federal and State Governments to partner with the organized footwear producers to train thousands of unemployed youths in the country.
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