FG Restates Commitment To End Lead Poisoning
The Federal Government has assured that it would prevent re-occurrence of lead poisoning in every part of the country. The Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo gave this assurance at the on-going 2nd International Conference on Lead Poisoning Associated with Artisanal Mining in Nigeria, with Special Focus on Prevention, adding that the Federal Government is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring safer mining and preventing further outbreak of lead poisoning.
The Vice President noted that Gold mining in the country is clearly dominated by artisanal miners using rudimentary mining methods and crude processing techniques with the obvious consequence of exposure of miners, the environment and local communities to serious dangers.
“In areas where Gold ores contain high concentrations of heavy metals like lead, exposure to the dust released from these methods as a result of the crude process and techniques leads to serious health consequences, not just for the persons directly involved in the mining but also for all of the neighbouring areas and communities, children, of course are the ones most at risk of death and disability,’’ he stated.
Prof Osinbajo recalled the high number of deaths from the lead poisoning in Zamfara in 2010 as a result of processing of the element in residential compounds and village squares and a similar incident in Niger in 2015. He said that survey at the time indicated that no fewer than 17,000 people were severely exposed while over 400 children lost their lives due to acute lead poisoning in Zamfara.
The Vice President said that a combined effort of various international agencies in collaboration with the state and Federal Government helped to bring the tragic episode under control. He however expressed dismay that in April 2015, another severe outbreak was reported in two villages in Niger which were precipitated by environmental contamination from artisanal gold mining activities leading to the death of 30 children and poisoning of many.
He noted with satisfaction, that the country and its international collaborators as well as local authorities administered treatment on the affected persons. “To date early 7,200 in Zamfara and Niger states respectively have received treatment, I am informed that this is the largest group of children under-5 years of age with severe lead intoxication reported anywhere and unfortunately, treatment does not reverse the debilitating effects of lead poisoning; it only accelerates the rate at which the body expels the lead in order to prevent further death.’’
Prof Osinbajo regretted that many of the affected children might not attain their full potential as productive citizens. He said the country must start by admitting that “the current efforts to tackle lead poisoning in Artisanal Gold mining have not been adequate.’’
He said that the Zamfara and Niger incidents compelled the country to re-think and re-focus its commitment and strategy to protecting the vulnerable children and communities at large. “As Nigeria traverses the road to shared mining prosperity, we must ensure that we do it in a way that it does not harm our health or our environment,’’ he added.
Osinbajo hailed the convening of the first international conference in May 2012 and the current edition. He added that the efforts would provide multi sector inter-disciplinary national strategies to prevent future lead poisoning outbreaks caused by artisanal Gold Mining and prevention of the re-contamination of previously remediated sites. “Artisanal mining and the life to enjoy the wealth on it, is possible if we put in place the proper preventive measures and provide the right equipment, he emphasized.
He was confident that the conference will produce a nationally coordinated prevention plans that leverages all the lessons learnt so far and bring local, state and federal authorities as well as civil society and experts from various fields into alignment.
The Vice President commended the efforts of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other ministries and actors in convening the conference for finding the optimal ways of preventing lead poisoning.
The Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development; Hon, Abubakar Bawa Bwari in his keynote address attributed the success recorded in containing the outbreaks in Zamfara and Niger States to active collaboration of all tiers of government and development partners.
He said his ministry and Medicins San Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) believed that effective and sustainable prevention of lead poisoning can similarly be achieved through active collaboration of relevant government ministries and agencies and development partners such as MSF. Ministries, Agencies and development partner working in silos will not achieve and the objectives of preventing lead poisoning associated with artisanal gold mining.
“This conference is therefore aimed at developing a Sustainable Preventive Framework on Lead Poisoning for artisanal and Small Scale Miners as a national strategy for investing in our people, protecting their health and also making the mining sector frontier for the diversification of our economy”, he reiterated.
The Hon Minister thereafter presented an Award of Appreciation to the Vice President for his efforts towards containment of lead poisoning in the country.
Idowu Jokpeyibo
For: Director Press
Restates Commitment To End Lead Poisoning
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The Federal Government has assured that it would prevent re-occurrence of lead poisoning in every part of the country. The Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo gave this assurance at the on-going 2nd International Conference on Lead Poisoning Associated with Artisanal Mining in Nigeria, with Special Focus on Prevention, adding that the Federal Government is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring safer mining and preventing further outbreak of lead poisoning.
The Vice President noted that Gold mining in the country is clearly dominated by artisanal miners using rudimentary mining methods and crude processing techniques with the obvious consequence of exposure of miners, the environment and local communities to serious dangers.
“In areas where Gold ores contain high concentrations of heavy metals like lead, exposure to the dust released from these methods as a result of the crude process and techniques leads to serious health consequences, not just for the persons directly involved in the mining but also for all of the neighbouring areas and communities, children, of course are the ones most at risk of death and disability,’’ he stated.
Prof Osinbajo recalled the high number of deaths from the lead poisoning in Zamfara in 2010 as a result of processing of the element in residential compounds and village squares and a similar incident in Niger in 2015. He said that survey at the time indicated that no fewer than 17,000 people were severely exposed while over 400 children lost their lives due to acute lead poisoning in Zamfara.
The Vice President said that a combined effort of various international agencies in collaboration with the state and Federal Government helped to bring the tragic episode under control. He however expressed dismay that in April 2015, another severe outbreak was reported in two villages in Niger which were precipitated by environmental contamination from artisanal gold mining activities leading to the death of 30 children and poisoning of many.
He noted with satisfaction, that the country and its international collaborators as well as local authorities administered treatment on the affected persons. “To date early 7,200 in Zamfara and Niger states respectively have received treatment, I am informed that this is the largest group of children under-5 years of age with severe lead intoxication reported anywhere and unfortunately, treatment does not reverse the debilitating effects of lead poisoning; it only accelerates the rate at which the body expels the lead in order to prevent further death.’’
Prof Osinbajo regretted that many of the affected children might not attain their full potential as productive citizens. He said the country must start by admitting that “the current efforts to tackle lead poisoning in Artisanal Gold mining have not been adequate.’’
He said that the Zamfara and Niger incidents compelled the country to re-think and re-focus its commitment and strategy to protecting the vulnerable children and communities at large. “As Nigeria traverses the road to shared mining prosperity, we must ensure that we do it in a way that it does not harm our health or our environment,’’ he added.
Osinbajo hailed the convening of the first international conference in May 2012 and the current edition. He added that the efforts would provide multi sector inter-disciplinary national strategies to prevent future lead poisoning outbreaks caused by artisanal Gold Mining and prevention of the re-contamination of previously remediated sites. “Artisanal mining and the life to enjoy the wealth on it, is possible if we put in place the proper preventive measures and provide the right equipment, he emphasized.
He was confident that the conference will produce a nationally coordinated prevention plans that leverages all the lessons learnt so far and bring local, state and federal authorities as well as civil society and experts from various fields into alignment.
The Vice President commended the efforts of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other ministries and actors in convening the conference for finding the optimal ways of preventing lead poisoning.
The Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development; Hon, Abubakar Bawa Bwari in his keynote address attributed the success recorded in containing the outbreaks in Zamfara and Niger States to active collaboration of all tiers of government and development partners.
He said his ministry and Medicins San Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) believed that effective and sustainable prevention of lead poisoning can similarly be achieved through active collaboration of relevant government ministries and agencies and development partners such as MSF. Ministries, Agencies and development partner working in silos will not achieve and the objectives of preventing lead poisoning associated with artisanal gold mining.
“This conference is therefore aimed at developing a Sustainable Preventive Framework on Lead Poisoning for artisanal and Small Scale Miners as a national strategy for investing in our people, protecting their health and also making the mining sector frontier for the diversification of our economy”, he reiterated.
The Hon Minister thereafter presented an Award of Appreciation to the Vice President for his efforts towards containment of lead poisoning in the country.
Idowu Jokpeyibo
For: Director Press
