President Jonathan’s ‘Broken Promise’ For Lead-Poisoned Children In Zamfara Is Target Of Social Media Campaign

A killer gold mine in Zamfara state in northern Nigeria
By SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria’s Youth Climate Action Network and U.S.-based Human Rights Watch have launched a social media campaign to demand that promised funding for the clean-up of lead-contaminated areas in Zamfara State be released.

The organizations are urging people to post comments to President Goodluck Jonathan’s official Facebook page, asking him why the clean-up funds have not been released as he promised.
 
“More than 400 children in Zamfara State have died from lead poisoning according to official estimates,” said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “Unless the promised funds are released immediately, cleanup of the contaminated areas won’t be able to start until after next year’s rainy season, leaving thousands more children at risk of death and permanent disability.”
 
In May, the government pledged close to US$5 million to clean up areas that had been contaminated with lead during artisanal gold mining operations because of high levels of lead in rock ore. The funds were also to be used to put safe mining practices into effect, such as introducing processing equipment that reduces the risks of lead exposure.
 
“The Nigerian government’s failure to produce promised funding to address the worst lead poisoning outbreak in modern history is leaving thousands of children to die or face lifelong disability,” the Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network (NYCAN) and Human Rights Watch said today.
 

VIDEO: The Killer Gold in Zamfara state

Human Rights Watch sJoseph Amon speaks on what the Nigerian government should be doing to clean up Zamfara state

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re:

media is the watch dog of the political democracy. If it plays its role honestly, it will be a great force in building the nation but now a days, media has become a commersialised sector eying only for news that is hot and sells. Instead of giving important information and educative programmes, all that one gets on television is sensational depiction of all news stories, their only goal being gaining television rating points (TRPs). Read more @ this site www.fixguy.com

media @
www.fixguy.com

In response to Mr. Shilgba

In response to Mr. Shilgba's
"President Jonathan’s Media Chat And The Plume Of Hopelessness" posted Nov. 19, 2012:

Elmango Meat said "Basic qualities of leadership - Forward-looking (2).. Zamfara Lead Poisoning progress report: Médecins sans Frontières (MSF).. warns that time is running out to solve the Zamfara crisis in Nigeria. In a progress report, the medical humanitarian organisation which has been treating lead poisoned children since the start of the crisis, finds that very little action has been taken on any of the agreed action points from the Conference.

"Funds to tackle the Zamfara lead poisoning crisis – with a specific focus on the remediation of Bagega village – were promised by the Nigerian President in May 2012, but have still not been released by the Secretary of the Government..." WHY Mr. Goodluck?

http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/time-running-out-zamfara-state-lead-...
Nothing has changed.

madrasa knowledge no reach

Go and ask the sultan and JNI for help or better still go to school and learn the use and effects of chemicals on you and your environment but no abokis will rather learn to recite the Quran backwards.

GEJ THE FRAUDSTER

When has GEJ ever fulfilled a promise,he is a very big FRAUD and Nigerians are watching and doing nothing as the country is drifting overtaken by agents of darkness.

zamfara

No comments frm anyone ?
All the regular commentators, where have they suddenly "flighted" to? This is shocking !
See da Religious Thingy in Play ? Smh !

where is the northern governors forum and boko haram

Its only when it concerns introducing consensus presidential candidates into the politics of the Fulani North, that u often see the socalled Northern Governors forum speak up on issues that border on the life of their troubled youths. That is when u have Senators and members of the House of Representatives from the Fulanis North stand firm behind the Buhari army in Boko haram to challenge the government. Why have the governors and their Arewa conusultative forum not deemed it necessary to initiate ideas that will bring an end to the ongoing illegal mining in the states under the control of BH? If they can introduce Sharia law and police which most claim have powers overn the ones placed under d IGP of police then why blame jonathan for the 12 virgins promised them in heaven by buhari?

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