Observation

 

 

This question was attempted by most of the candidates, most of whom performed above average. The question required the candidates to explain five economic importance of leathercraft to the Nigerian economy. Most candidates were able to explain the economic importance of leathercraft but few of them ended up explaining the social importance of leather instead economic importance of leathercraft. This made few of them score below average marks.
The candidates were expected to provide the following answers to score higher marks.

(i)         Employment generation: the practice of leather craft in any location or country creates jobs for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers, thereby reducing the rate of unemployment in the country.
(ii)        Foreign exchange earner: through the exportation of leather and finished leather articles, the Nigerian economy is able to generate foreign exchange to help boost the economy.
(iii)       Industrial growth: the leather craft industry in Nigeria has and is still contributing immensely to the growth of the gross domestic products of the country through the production of hides, skins and other leather products.
(iv)       Source of raw material: the leather industry is a ready source of raw materials for the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy by making hides and skins readily available.
(v)        Income generation: the leather craft industry is a major source of income for various workers and the government through taxation generated from the industry.
(vi)       Acquisition of skills for the teeming population of youths: the leather industry is one of the major channels through which skills are acquired by the teeming population of youths and this has greatly reduced the crime rate in the country.
(vii)      Tourism:  leather goods and their production sites attract tourists thereby generating revenue.
(viii)     The leather goods industry has also boosted internal and external trade.