Nigeria：Official Warns Against Stockpiling Of Pesticides

ABUJA - An official of the Ministry of Environment has frowned against the stockpiling of pesticides warning that it is dangerous for human health and for the environment.

Mr Theodore Nwaokwe, Deputy Director, Pollution and Control in the ministry told newsmen in Abuja that the impact of pesticides on humans and on the environment was long-lasting.

Nigeria accumulated a huge amount of pesticides donated by international organisations which in most cases were not well handled, he said.

In 2010 a national inventory of pesticides stockpiles showed that 65 tonnes of obsolete pesticides were yet to be evacuated from 306 sites.

The inventory also showed that Nigeria had 1.7 tonnes of empty containers, 66 tonnes of contaminated soil, 1,200 tonnes of contaminated materials, 205 tonnes of contaminated buildings and 14 tonnes of contaminated equipment.

Nwaokwe listed the lack of expertise in the procurement of chemicals and degeneration of the ones in use, as other means of accumulation.

He explained that pesticides were meant to be kept in warehouses or stored in properly ventilated buildings, set aside for such purpose instead of exposing them in the open.

He stressed the need for experts to be acquainted with updates on chemicals, stating that pesticides were banned, withdrawn, or phased out periodically to avoid stockpiling of expired ones.

“The implication is that it continues to impact negatively on human beings and the environment. We should know that these are poisons which are managed by experts, so if it’s carelessly kept, some dubious, unscrupulous human beings can do evil things with it.

“If you have need for pesticides, you should first of all determine the quantities you need and go for it. If you should need 1kg there is no need buying two or more, because at the end you have some leftovers and maybe you don’t have the facility, the know-how and the competence to manage the excess stock; well, this is one of the ways we have stockpiling’’.

Nwaokwe called on government and individuals involved in pesticides management to adopt a holistic management strategy to avoid stockpiling of the chemicals.

He said that some cases of food poisoning which resulted in death could be traced to exposure to pesticides.
He advised small-scale users to always buy from reliable suppliers and ensure that the product was sealed and had the expiry date boldly displayed on the packaging.

“It is expected that what you are buying must be intact. You have to check the sealing and ensure that it is not something that has been tampered with,’’ Nwaokwe advised.