Following the effects of lead poisoning, the medicine Sans Frontiers has organized a 3-day workshop for 50 participants in Zamfara State to draw an action plan for its control and prevention in the state.
The medicine Sans Frontiers, lead poisoning Coordinator, Benjamin Janeiro said they have been working in the State particularly creating awareness on significance of safer mining practices and dangers of lead poisoning often linked to artisanal mining in the State.
He said 50 participants in the workshop were drawn from three local government areas linked with mining activities in the State.
This was disclosed on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of a 3 day workshop organized by Medicines Sans Frontisrs in collaboration with office of the Secretary to the Zamfara State government.
The workshop was to develop an action plan for control and prevention of lead poisoning associated with artisanal gold mining and processing in the State.
In his remarks, the secretary to Zamfara State government Alhaji kabiru Balarabe who was represented by the permanent secretary cabinet affairs, Lawal Hussein said lead poisoning was reported to be one of the worst in human history.
“It was reported to be one of the worst in human history, where atleast 700 Children died of the Disaster”.
He maintained that the Disaster has brought gold mining in the State to the spotlight, particularly artisanal mining which is the dominant mining activity in communities in the State.
According to him, lead poisoning was discovered by medicines Sans Frontiers during routine immunization exercises in some mining villages in the south western part of the State in 2010.
He said since than, government has taken some measures to prevent the recurrence of the painful experience, such as organizing the artisanal miners into mining cooperatives as a Step towards the formalization of their activities in line with Nigeria minerals and mining act 2007.
“Even though some of the miners have agreed to organize and operate within cooperatives, it is disheartening that the majority of our artisanal miners operate without any formal structure, this has posed the danger of unsafe mining practices.
“The present Administration of Governor Bello Matawalle is committed to maximizing the State potentials in mining through inviting investment into the sector and promoting safer mining practices among the artisans”.
He explained that the development of mining sector was one of the crucial steps in ensuring the overall development of the State and fighting poverty among the people.
