Tragic negligence

The Niger State tragedy came even as the anguish over similar incidents in Zamfara State, which claimed over 500 lives in 2010, is yet to abate. It shows a laidback government attitude that should not be condoned anywhere, least of in a democracy like Nigeria. In March of 2010, the French Medical Charity Medecins Sans […]

The Niger State tragedy came even as the anguish over similar incidents in Zamfara State, which claimed over 500 lives in 2010, is yet to abate. It shows a laidback government attitude that should not be condoned anywhere, least of in a democracy like Nigeria.
In March of 2010, the French Medical Charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) responded to an alert to a high number of child fatalities in Zamfara State. By the time its officials arrived, an estimated 500 children had already been felled by lead poisoning due to illegal mining activities that employ underage children with little or no protection. The cause of deaths was confirmed through laboratory tests of some surviving children, revealing high levels of the poison in their system.
It was a national calamity that elicited sympathy even beyond Nigeria’s shore. A joint research by US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Blacksmith Institute, World Health Organisation and MSF, revealed that the poisoning was caused by mining of ore by villagers, who also took crushed rock home with them to extract.
Reports have shown that the major routes of exposure include contaminated drinking water, hand to mouth ingestion and inhalation of dust containing lead particulates.
Researchers determined that an estimated 2500 children accumu-lated life-threatening levels of lead in their blood stream, with thousands more at risk of permanent brain damage, kidney failure, seizures and coma. Livestock were not spared either, as hundreds of them died from it. Funds which ordinary should be channelled into improving the living standard of citizens had to be diverted to containing the epidemic.
It is sad therefore that few months after the last remediation effort in Zamfara State, another tragedy of this same lead poisoning should confront recur in another part of the country. The Niger State government should be acutely aware of such illegal mining becoming a problem, given the many reported cases of such activity in the state for many years. According to reports, 63 cases of the recent outbreak were confirmed by the state government in some communities in Rafi local government area of Niger state, with the casualties that also included livestock.
Especially worrisome is the revelation by health officials that the current outbreak could be deadlier than the Zamfara incident.
The government must wake up to the reality that activities of illegal miners are bringing misery and deaths to rural communities, far away from the prying eyes of officials, or with their connivance.
Apart from the fatalities and injuries they cause, they also cause the destruction of natural landscapes and the environment. Several hectares of suitable farmlands are lost as a result of the illicit activity, while thousands of large pits that are dug and then abandoned become death-traps across the country.
The uncontrolled activities of unlicensed miners also mean huge losses in revenue that should otherwise accrue to government coffers. These natural resource endowments which should have been major sources of revenue are virtually left in the hands of these economic thieves, who pay no tax and bring destruction to communities.
The federal government, which by law has custody of all minerals in the country, should devise measures to put an end to such illegal activities.  Miners who now engage in illegal acts should be encouraged to form cooperatives for the purpose of obtaining genuine licences and permits. Because it would be a futile exercise to halt all illegal mining activities at this time, it would be a good investment to assist licensed miners with modern tools and check the engagement of minors.
This would be a good area to focus on, especially now that exploring alternative sources of revenue away from oil is being given priority.
The prompt intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health when the reports broke no doubt prevented further deaths. The ministry can do more with the involvement of the Ministry of Solid Minerals to intensify advocacy to raise awareness, facilitate remediation and support prevention of recontamination in the affected communities.