Federal Govt Fingers Illegal Miners Over Zamfara Lead Poisoning

The federal government has warned illegal miners to immediately vacate all sites in Zamfara State until standard operating procedures are released to guide the resumption of exploration in the state.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Dele Alake called while responding to recent lead poisoning news reports in Bugundu Local Government Area in Zamfara State.

He said the ban on mining in the state in the last six years meant there shouldn’t have been any reason for lead poisoning.

The Minister said the outbreak was evidence that traditional and local institutions allowed illegal miners to operate in their areas in flagrant violation of the ban.

“Every citizen should obey the laws and regulations established by constituted authorities. Our revered traditional institutions and local authorities, which are funded from the federation accounts, have an even higher responsibility to enforce government directives. However, where they demonstrate willful negligence and abdicate their responsibilities, they perpetrate a state of anomie with dire consequences, as we are witnessing in this case.”

“To mitigate the situation, experts and ministry officials’ reports will recommend specific interventions enabling us to stave off future calamities,” he stated.

In a statement by Segun Tomori, the minister’s special assistant on Media, Alake commended the government of Zamfara State for deploying emergency services to the area and called for more collaboration between state and ministry officials.

“We must work together to kick out illegal miners from all corners to protect the lives of innocent citizens endangered by the desperation of a few individuals to make money at all costs,” he said.

The Minister announced that the Ministry would soon release comprehensive standard operating procedures to guide the resumption of mining in Zamfara.

He explained that the procedures should address cases of existing mining licence holders and fresh applicants, compliance with community development agreements, and beneficiation and remediation efforts to overhaul the state’s mining sector.

He also reiterated that the recent approval of the deployment of satellite technology to monitor mining nationwide would end illegal mining and other harmful practices in the sector.