NAN-AE-16
Awareness
By Vivian Emoni
Lagos, Feb. 14, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government is committed to promoting awareness for effective implementation of Minamata Convention on Mercury, Mr Chales Ikeah has said.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.
Ikeah, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health Department, Federal Ministry of Environment, said this at a one-day workshop on “National Awareness Raising for Media and NGOs on Minamata Convention on Mercury’’.
Ikeah, represented by Dr Idris Goji, Deputy Director in the ministry made this known in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said that the awareness would help to educate the public on the dangers and negative effect on the use of mercury.
Ikeah said that the sensitisation would help in the protection of human health and the environment from undue exposures from contamination by mercury and its compounds.
The inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal.
He said that the role of the media and NGOs could not be over emphasised in the actualisation of the objective of the convention.
According to him, we are involving the media and NGOs in the sensitisation to facilitate strong implementation and success of the Minamata Convention in Nigeria.
“This workshop is important as it will enable us to have a better understanding of the Minamata convention, exchange ideas and develop an effective information dissemination strategy to all relevant stakeholders.
“The convention will enter into force once 50 countries have ratified it, as at today, 128 countries have signed the convention while 37 that include 16 African countries have ratified it,’’ he said.
He said that the convention was aimed at promoting the use of alternatives, best available techniques and environmental practices across a wide range of products, processes and industries where mercury was used, released or emitted.
Ikeah noted that mercury was a natural occurring and highly toxic to human health and the environment, adding that recent activities had increased the level of mercury in the country.
He explained that mercury causes kidney, heart and respiratory problems, tremors, skin rashes, vision or hearing problems, headaches, weakness, memory and emotional challenges.
He said that mercury pollution occurs majorly through the artisanal small scale gold mining, cement production, use and disposal of mercury containing products, coal combustion and improper waste management.
The director said that the convention was negotiated by the global community including Nigeria between 2010 and 2013, adopted and opened for signature on Oct. 10, 2013 at a diplomatic conference in Kumamoto, Japan.
He said that Nigeria was currently working towards the ratification and implementation of the convention in the country.
He said that the essence of the conference was to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and release of mercury and its compounds.
Ikeah, however, expressed the government`s gratitude to Global Environmental Facility, (GEF), and United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO).
He also commended the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), for providing financial and technical support to the implementation of the Minamata Convention Initial Assessment, (MCIA) project.
Also, Dr Chuma Ezedinma, UNIDO Regional Office, Abuja, said that UNIDO was committed to supporting more than 30 countries for their activities under the convention.
Ezedinma said that UNIDO would continue to work closely with the ministry of environment, NGOs and the media to ensure effective implementation of the project.
“UNIDO will continue to promote the creation of Green Industries and support the Greening of existing industries in Nigeria and in the Sub-region.’’
He said that UNIDO specialise in promoting industrialisation in developing countries and economies in transaction.
Ezedinma said that the agency`s activities was to advance economic prosperity, creating shared prosperity and safeguarding the environment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with UNIDO, GEF and UNITAR.
The mercury cycle is a biogeochemical cycle involving mercury. Mercury is notable for being the only metal which is liquid at room temperature.
It is a volatile metal and evaporates, though it takes quite a while to do so.
Mining mercury, gold or burning coal results in releasing mercury. Volcanoes and forest fires are also sources . (NAN)
VOE/MO
======Edited by Morayo Omolade