Senate President Ahmad Lawan has expressed the need to restrict importation of foot-wears into the country in view of their availability, locally.

He stated this, yesterday, while formally commissioning the multi-million-naira Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) established at Obikabia in Obingwa Local Council by the Abia State government.

Lawan said the firm would not only boost the availability of high quality locally-made shoes and boots, but also generate revenue, create thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities, among others.

He commended the state government for embarking on such a project, stressing that for Nigeria to become a prosperous country, it must embark on import substitution.

The Senate President, who said that the Senate would consequently do the needful to restrict importation of boots and shoes into the country, told Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to let him know of any other assistance he (Senate President) could give to the project.

In his address, Ikpeazu said that with ENASCO, Nigeria would take position in the global leather industry ecosystem and therefrom derive much revenue.

He said that with its capacity to produce 5,000 pairs of shoes daily, ENASCO would launch Nigeria into the fast-growing global shoe industry and thus make it become a major player in the leather industry ecosystem.