UNIDO hands over mercury assessment report to FG

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has presented the report of Minamata Convention on Mercury Initial Assessment (MIA) for Nigeria to the Federal Government.  The report, which was received by the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, in Abuja will serve as baseline for the execution of the project and a further awareness […]

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has presented the report of Minamata Convention on Mercury Initial Assessment (MIA) for Nigeria to the Federal Government. 

The report, which was received by the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, in Abuja will serve as baseline for the execution of the project and a further awareness platform on mercury in the country.

Jibril, speaking at the occasion, said it is important to sign the document because once the instrument is prepared, the Federal Government would not delay its implementation. 

He noted that the key area in terms of the plan is the environment and health.

 “We are talking about health, because when it gets to the Ministry of Health, it means that the worse has happened, it becomes a health related issue. What we do at the Ministry of Environment is try to prevent it through sound environmental management,” he said.

The minister said, “In order not to get a problem that is associated with mercury, we will try to get it out of the environment, meaning the chance of getting it out through the human system is completely eliminated or minimized to the barest minimum.”

Jibril said the document aimed to bring assistants, technically, who can inform the people and educate them because when they get to know, they will avoid it.

While noting that the government has to do a lot of sensitization, he said they would put things in place to make people realize the significant of the convention.