Lead Poisoning: NESREA Tasks Zamfara Govt

Due to the recent lead poisoning in Zamfara State, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has advised the government to broaden the scope of its environmental assessment.

The tragedy claimed about 153 lives, according to government figures.
Alhaji Abdullahi Bindawa, the agency's Director for North West zone, gave the advice while speaking with Newsday in Gusau recently.

Bindawa said that the widening the assessment beyond the affected areas, would serve as a preventive measure against future outbreak of mining related disasters.

``We have observed that beyond Anka and Bukkuyum Local Governments, mining activities are carried out in Maru, Maradun and Talata Mafara areas, with equal or more environmental and health hazards,`` he said.
Bindawa was in Gusau to monitor the remediation of the problem at Dareta, Yalgalma, Tungan Daji and Sunke, areas affected by the lead poisoning tragedy.

He called on the state government to, as a matter of necessity, extend the remediation to other mining sites in the state.
He further urged the state government to take full inventory of all mining sites across the state with a view to controlling mining activities in line with international environmental standards.

The director commended the government for attaining 100 per cent in soil excavation and replacement at Dareta and 70 per cent at Yargalma, the two villages worst affected by the lead disaster.

Bindawa also called on the state government to collaborate with NESREA for an intensive public awareness campaign in the mining communities, to understand the scope of problems associated with crude mining activities.
The enlightenment campaign, he said, should be targeted at educating the communities on health and safety measures, to avoid further hazards to environment and public health.

He promised that NESREA's field assessment report would be made available to the state government to enable it to identify areas of collaboration between the two stakeholders.
He said it would also help in protecting mining communities from hazards

by Our Correspondence

The Federal Government College, Sokoto, is to name the road leading to the school's Assembly Hall after the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin.

Alhaji Adamu Ibrahim, the Chairman, Abuja chapter of Federal Government College Sokoto Old Students Association, announced this recently during a courtesy visit to Petinrin in Abuja.

Newsday reports that Petinrin graduated from the school in 1971.
Ibrahim, who said the date of the road's inauguration had not been fixed, said Petinrin was honoured for his contributions to the development of the school.

``We are here to express our appreciation and solidarity over your contributions toward the development of our former school,'' he said.
He further said the association resolved to review its constitution while a Project Committee was set up to execute its initiatives in the school.

Ibrahim also said a Fund Management Committee was inaugurated to raise and manage the association's fund.
Petinrin, in his remarks, commended the executives of the association for devoting time to improving the condition of the school.

He urged the association to take the building of more hostels as priority, noting that the school's common rooms had been converted to junior staff quarters.
Petinrin called for the relocation of junior staff within the vicinity of the hostels, warning that students could be exposed to social vices if this was not done.