The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) says it will support the Federal Government to create a sustainable green industries in Nigeria.
Mr Oluyomi Banjo, the Energy and Environmental Expert, UNIDO made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Banjo said that the organisation was also calling for a sustainable technical cooperation programmes in the country.
He said that the organisation was committed to preserving clean water by ensuring that pollution was identified, prevented and controlled in various industries in the country.
Banjo said that the organisation was a specialised agency of the UN, promoting a sustainable industrialisation development in developing countries and economies in transition.
The environmental expert said that the activities of the organisation in the country were on its three thematic areas such as creating shared prosperity, advancing economic competitiveness and safeguarding the environment.
“UNIDO is doing a lot in Nigeria, especially in the areas of protecting our water and identifying agent of pollution as well as safeguarding our environment.
“These areas I believe are a major concern for our health.
“We are also looking at how we can sustain the use of water most especially in our industries.
“We have many industries that are generating a lot of income and also remitting a lot of taxes for government but their primary raw material is water.
“We have to ensure that water does not dry. Many countries are experiencing hardship because they are having water shortages so these are one of the areas we are addressing effectively in Nigeria,’’
Banjo said that UNIDO had just concluded the development of Nigeria`s Minamata Convention Initial Assessment on Mercury (MIA), adding that it was one of the biggest project in the world.
He said that the objective of MIA was to assist Nigeria in completing pre-ratification activities under the Minamata Convention to enable policy and strategic decision-making.
He explained that it would also help to prioritise areas for future interventions as well as facilitating the implementation of the convention.
The environmental expert said that the project had helped Nigeria to identify the key priority sectors which mercury was being used, adding that it would serve as a good baseline for execution of the project.
He said that the efforts would help Nigeria to have a strategic and priority activities on how to reduce or eliminate mercury in the country.
NAN reports that mercury is a liquid metallic element formed naturally and is highly poisonous to human health and the environment.
Mercury poisoning can occur via inhalation of the vapour, which can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems as the lungs and kidneys.
People who use mercury could end up developing weakness in the muscles, skin rashes, kidney problems, memory loss as well as hearing, speaking and sight problem. (NAN)
Source: Sundiata
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