The Federal Government says it is working assiduously to develop a national action plan to reduce the use of mercury in Nigeria.

Dr. Abdukadir Muazu, permanent secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, said this in Abuja at a workshop for the National Comprehensive Analysis of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector.

The capacity building event was aimed at supporting the development of the National Action Plan for Reduction of Mercury Use/Emission in Nigeria.

According to Muazu, the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and other stakeholders, is working to ensure the elimination of use of mercury by artisanal miners across the country.

He said that mercury was substantially used by artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM) to extract gold from gold ore, adding that this process exposed them to mercury poisoning and also pollutes the environment.

Muazu said that artisanal and small-scale gold mining was practiced in over seven states, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, FCT, Kwara and Osun.

“It is, therefore, safe to say that Nigeria has more than insignificant use of mercury in (ASGM) operations,’’ he said.

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He said the training and ASGM assessment project would improve national capacity and capability for the management of the mercury in the ASGM sector.

At the event, Mr. Jean Bakole, regional director and country representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, UNIDO Regional Hub, Nigeria, said that ASGM was responsible for 37 per cent of the anthropogenic emission and release of mercury into the environment.

Bakole, represented by Mr. Yomi Banjo, environment expert, UNIDO, said that UNIDO had a history of working in the ASGM sector around the world and was implementing national action plan projects in several African countries.

“Our long-standing cooperation with the Nigerian government to improve industrialisation and safeguard the environment is receiving another boost today,’ he said.’

He congratulated the ministry for the sustainable structure put on ground for the sector, adding that UNIDO would support the ministry to achieve its goals.

Mr. Patrick Ojeka, director, ASGM, for the ministry, said that Nigeria became a signatory to the Minimata Convention on October 10, 2013, through the Ministry of Environment.

Ojeka said the ministry had been coordinating the activities preparatory to develop the country’s national action plan for the reduction of mercury use in Nigeria.