Lead poisoning has affected thousands of children and contaminated several villages in northern Nigeria. Although the state government has begun the process of cleaning up, many villagers are not even aware of the danger. More effort from the state government is needed says Dr. Tunde Olugboji, Deputy Director at Human Rights Watch, in an interview with DW after he visited the most affected northern state of Zamfara.

DW:  How would you describe the situation in the area you visited?

Dr. Tunde Olugboji: I think the situation is of great concern. We went to the mining sites, to the processing sites, we went to visit families at home, we talked to the families and this was not a very easy experience. Because we can see the compounds where improvements need to be made and where cleaning is needed,  and people are yearning for those things to be done. Even at the processing site, you still see that people are either not aware of issues related to safer mining practices, or they just don't care.

The state government has started the cleaning exercise, are you comfortable with the way they are handling it?

I don't think it's about being comfortable with the way they are handling it. It is about whether the villagers think they are going to benefit from the process. And there is hope because, at some of the compounds that we visited, they really believe that they need this, they are yearning for this and they are asking "Why aren't they coming to clean up my compound?" The government at local level needs to be talking to the people. The people are not aware of what is going on, all they know is that they are waiting for the compound to be cleaned up, and they can't see anybody, so they are still very anxious. There are children crawling on the floor, the compounds are contaminated, and they just don't know what to do or where to turn. This matter is not just about mercy, about "let's do them a favor." It is their right to enjoy a high standard of health. And it is the obligation of the government of this country to protect their rights.

Kulu Ummara is one of the lucky ones; she survived lead poisoning

In a report released by Human Rights Watch, you are quoted as saying that Zamfara's gold brought hope for prosperity, but resulted in death and backbreaking labor for its children.  What do you mean by that?

The gold is a bit of a paradox for the people. They could go out and make a reasonable amount of money. But of what use is making money and coming back home and seeing your kids dying in front of your eyes? So basically we are saying, it is good for gold to bring them prosperity. The price of gold on the world market is rising, but do they need to pay for this with their lives? Gold brings hope, but at the same time it brings despair, principally because of lead poisoning.

What intervention plans do you have to augment the efforts the state is making to assist these people?

Let me make the role of Human Rights Watch clear. We are a human rights group, a monitoring organization, and we put pressure on the government to do what they are supposed to do. So our role here is to let the world know that there is a problem and then make a recommendation to the government that these are the steps it should be taking. We have made three very simple recommendations that we think can be carried through. Number one: all the children need to be tested and treated; number two: the contaminated compounds need to be cleaned up; number three: there is a need for safer mining practices. It's not a question of implementing  one or the other, everything needs to be done at the same time if we are to see progress in terms of ensuring that children are not dying.

Human Rights Watch is monitoring the situation

All the steps you mention are now being implemented by the state government; do you think the authorities are really on the right track to assist these people?

I think the state government has made some very useful moves. They have done a lot in terms of beginning the process. But they need to do more in order to get this right. We have been talking to the local commissioner and he told us his plans, how they want to do it in two phases. But when we come to this village and see the eyes of the children, see the mothers holding their children, see the anxiety on the faces of fathers, and then we see people coming from the mines, still wearing their mining clothes, then we have a feeling that, even though the state government may have good intentions, they need to be translated into action for the people so that they feel "Yes, I am being looked after by my government and that is my right."

Interview: Aminu Abdulahi
Editor: Susan Houlton / rm