…Promises to strengthen ASGM sector

By Caleb Ayansina

THE Federal Government has solicited the United Nations’ support on its efforts to tackle environmental challenges in the country, just as it has promised to strengthen the Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining ASGM, sector, while partnering with other agencies to protect human and environment from the hazards of mercury.

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril who disclosed these at different occasions in Abuja, highlighted projects like; Ogonicleanup, Great Green Wall, desertification, among other projects, which the government had tagged as priority.

Jubril, who made the appeal when a delegation from the UN, led by the Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed paid him a working visit, in Abuja, disclosed that the Green Bond project would soon be launched to create an enabling environment for sustainable development. The minister commended the UN for their significant grants and contributions to the growth and development of the environment sector in Nigeria.

“The government has made remarkable progress in our resolve to tackle environmental challenges and create an enabling environment for sustainable development,” he said. On the issue of Bio-safety, Jibril said it had always posed a major concern largely because biotechnology is a novel area of study in Nigeria. He disclosed that the Ministry was taking the necessary steps to review the National Bio-safety policy which was put in place in 2006 to be in tandem with the present realities.

In her remarks, the Deputy Secretary General stated that her delegation’s visit to the Ministry underscores the significance of strengthening partnership with Nigeria and the African Union (AU) for a rapid response to support the vulnerable gender.

She opined that women were the worst hit in tragic situation as they were the ones that usually suffer the tragedy and carry the burden and as such, they should equally be able to benefit from the dividends.

Ms Mohammed added that environment has the potentials of empowering and taking women out of the baseline of poverty, assuring the Minister that the UN projects are usually aligned to the priorities of the country. The UN Deputy Secretary General stressed that the Ministry would be actively carried along in the programmes that promote women empowerment. Similarly, the Federal Government has identified lack of formal organization of artisanal and small scale miners’ operations as one of major factors militating against it in addressing issue of mercury pollution in the country.

Mercury pollution is one of the most harmful pollutants faced by fish and wildlife. Toxic mercury is released from coal burning power plants across the country and accumulates in rivers, lakes and forests.

Jubril stated this at the inception workshop on the development of National Action Plan on mercury use in the Nigerian Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Sector, in Abuja.

Represented by his Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shehu Usman, the Minister said that finding by the government “showed that Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) processing in Nigeria is more than insignificant.”

He explained that the Workshop is designed “to intimate all Stakeholders and the public at large of the project, its objectives, expected outcome and solicit support for its implementation.”

Earlier, the Director, Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Mr. Charles Ikeah said “The government is aware of the deleterious effects of mercury and is committed to ensuring that a coordinated and mainstreamed is established to address the immediate and long term concerns, to protect human and the environment from the hazards of mercury.

“It is pertinent to point out that, most artisanal and small scale miners operations in Nigeria are informal in nature with very little organization. The lack of formal organization contributes to the difficulty of regulating and assisting the sector, and also stands in the way of miners obtaining capital necessary to invest in better practices.

“It is our belief that this project will further enhance Nigeria’s efforts to address mercury pollution issues and strengthen the ASGM sector even as government is diversifying the economy.”