PRESS RELEASE

The Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki representing Kwara Central Senatorial District has received a Certificate of Appreciation from the TERRAGRAPHICS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION for the exemplary leadership role he played to see to the completion and the overall success of the BAGEGA LEAD POISONING REMEDIATION PROJECT.

During the Certificate presentation, Senator Saraki was particularly happy to officially report that the entire Bagega area and all the other villages of Zamfara state which has since 2010 been ravaged by lead poisoning has become fully remediated.

He added that by this feat, Nigeria has achieved the largest lead remediation scheme in Africa and the second largest in the world. The Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology commended the President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for standing behind this effort and seeing to its fruition.

Commenting further, Dr Bukola Saraki said credit must also go to the Minister of Environment, the government of Zamfara State especially the commissioner for the Environment Zamfara State, Messr. Telegraphics, Doctors without Borders (MSF), Online community that rallied support for#SaveBagega and all those who showed relentless commitment to ensure that we save the lives of the children of Zamfara ensuring that they have another chance on life again.

Saraki acknowledged that the success achieved thus far should not signal an end of the process. He tasked everyone to pull together and ensure that this success is not eroded by first making sure that the treatment of the children already affected is sustained. This, he said can only be done by enabling MSF (Doctors without Borders) train health workers within the state and beyond to take charge and continue from where they stop.

The Senator categorically said "We must as part of laying out the enabling structures, train these miners on safer mining techniques and improve access to the right technology that is safe for this kind of activity".

Proffering solution to the aforementioned, Saraki suggested the need for the National Assembly to amend the Solid Minerals Act 2007 to expand access to and registration of artisan miners. This he reckoned will enable these miners form cooperative societies, have access to finance and be involved in the training on safer mining. Stating that this will help provide more job opportunities for our people, reduce the incidences of unsafe mining and capture the market in terms of taxation and revenue to the government.

In a similar development, you will recall that the Senator had earlier donated the sum of 500,00Naira to help develop Bagega's community cooperative thrift.

Finally, the Distinguished Senator expressed his deep appreciation for the recognition by terragraphics international as a catalyst to spur him to take further action on issues affecting the nation. He dedicated the award certificate to everyone that lent a hand to the #SaveBagegaproject.

Signed,

Bamikole Omishore

www.abubakarbukolasaraki.com