Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator, PDP, Kwara Central yesterday hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for his quick approval of promised funds for the remediation of Bagega Community in Zamfara State which has helped to save the lives of about 1,500 children in the area.

Saraki said the release of funds for the environmental clean-up of Bagega was great news for the local community, adding that the move was the beginning of good things to come.

A statement yesterday by his Special Assistant, Media, Bamikole Omishore noted that Senator Saraki visited the Bagega Community yesterday to find out how best the relevant agencies including the Ministry of Environment and the Federal Government could deal effectively with the lead poisoning in Bagega.

"Early December 2012, the Committee received a delegation from a non-governmental body MSF (Doctors Without Borders).

The MSF came to brief the committee on the state of affairs in the area and the need to take immediate action to avert further death of children. Their report suggested that over 400 children had died already and another 1500 are at risk of death due to the effects of lead poisoning."

He said he was highly impressed by the fact that the Committee Chairman did not just stop at bringing the issue back to the front burner but followed it up with this visit to a very difficult terrain to see things for himself.

On his part, Senator Saraki urged the doctors and Terragraphics working on the remediation efforts not to rest on their oars.