House Of Reps Seek Ban Of Hazardous Pesticides

The House of Representatives has urged its applicable committees to liaise with cardinal agencies and stakeholders to make a model for the gradual phase-out and eventual prohibition of highly hazardous pesticides successful the country.

This followed the adoption of a question moved by the subordinate representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika national constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Clement Jimbo, astatine plenary connected Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Jimbo noted that the increasing circulation of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) successful the state poses sedate risks to quality health, nutrient safety, situation sustainability and biodiversity.

He said NAFDAC and different satellite bodies successful complaint of HHPs regularisation classify Highly Hazardous Pesticides arsenic those presenting peculiarly precocious levels of acute oregon chronic hazards to wellness oregon environment, adjacent erstwhile utilized arsenic instructed.

According to Jimbo, implicit 50% of NAFDAC-registered pesticides were successful the portion of HHP and adjacent to 60% of them were already banned successful different climes.

He expressed interest that 70% of termination successful Nigeria involves the ingestion of HHP pesticides (i.e DDVP successful Sniper), inadvertently owed to indiscriminate importation, sale, and usage of specified hazardous chemicals exposure farmers, consumers, h2o sources, pollinators and full ecosystem to unsafe contamination and immense economical losses.

Jimbo argued that reports from wellness and biology experts indicated rising cases of pesticide poisoning, ungraded degradation, nutrient residue contamination traceable to unregulated usage of HPPs successful Nigeria.

“Research shows that 7 retired of thirteen astir communal pesticides progressive ingredients successful Nigeria are cancerous and that successful twelvemonth 2020 implicit 270 died successful Oyo Obi assemblage of Benue authorities arsenic a effect of Endosulphan successful their assemblage river.

“Worried that the continued inaction could undermine nutrient security, endanger nationalist health, interruption planetary obligations arsenic good arsenic situation extortion and summation semipermanent aesculapian and ecological costs to the Nation.

“Acknowledged that successful each these, determination are assorted forms of integrated and agro-ecological alternatives existing successful Nigeria that is sustainable and economically viable that usage whitethorn person been suppressed,” helium argued.

Adopting the motion, the House asked the applicable national ministries and agencies arsenic good arsenic Non-Governmental Organisations to instantly behaviour a nationwide reappraisal and inventory of Highly Hazardous Pesticides successful circulation.

It mandated NAFDAC to fortify regulation, monitoring and enforcement connected the importation, organisation and usage of pesticides, with peculiar attraction to Highly Hazardous Pesticides and support the database of banned pesticides updated at all times.