The Federal Government plans to acquire additional equipment to detect lead in communities affected by lead poisoning, according to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake.
Dr. Alake revealed this while reviewing an exhibition on the lead campaign at the Lead-Free Future event, organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The event took place on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America.
In a statement released by the Minister’s Special Assistant (Media), Segun Tomori, in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Alake also committed Nigeria’s support to the global campaign against lead poisoning to protect vulnerable citizens.
He called for increased awareness of the dangers associated with mining gold and other minerals, stressing that the removal of lead from affected communities is crucial for improving child and maternal health. He also highlighted the importance of incorporating lead reduction strategies into the Ministry’s efforts to promote local value addition.
During the exhibition, USAID representative Dr. Casey Bartrem welcomed the minister and expressed appreciation for his commitment. She showcased rock samples collected from Zamfara State in Nigeria, retrieved during the clean-up following a lead poisoning incident. Dr. Bartrem stated that USAID hopes to collaborate with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) to reduce lead levels in mineral extraction and processing.
