NIGERIAN SENATE SUMMONS MINISTER OVER LEAD POISONED VICTIMS

The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, to appear before it over the neglect of communities and victims affected by lead poisoning in Zamfara State.

The motion sponsored by Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) seeks the Minister’s brief on framework to ensure the protection of residents of mining communities.

In 2014, 38 villages in Zamfara State were reported to have been affected by the effect of artisanal and unwholesome mining.

This resulted in blindness, infertility and neurological defects for over 400 children and many others.

In reaction, the Federal Government in 2016 approved and released intervention funds for urgent remediation of affected areas.

Presenting the motion, Mrs. Tinubu said that only eight out of the 38 affected communities had any remediation.

“Too many Nigerians are suffering, unable to access effective medical treatment for the resulting ailments, losing loved ones and suffering deformities of varying degrees,” she said.

She noted that due to paucity of funds, Medecin sans frontier, MSF, and other civil society organisations have pulled out of the area, hence, the need to summon the Minister for situation report.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary said the motion was important as the Senators bears the responsibility to protect Nigerians.

“We are aware that a lot of illegal mining are going on in many areas. It is our responsibility that people in this areas are protected,” he submitted.

The senators after deliberations resolved to invite the Minister to appear before the plenary to deliver a brief on its mining roadmap, implementation framework and how it intends to ensure protection of residents of mining host communities.

No date was set for the appearance.

The lawmakers also mandated its committee on Environmental and Solid Minerals to visit affected communities to ascertain level of damage and investigate activities of the Ministry of Environment as it affects the mining sector

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