The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nigeria’s

  • Nigeria’s suffocating pension scheme

    The government appears audacious in its quest to bring about ‘change’ but it should be careful for the ‘real change’ would remain scarce if life after service is spent in agony, and retirement a misery.

    The pension scheme in the country is a no-no, to say the least. The system, itself, is self-destructive and the mismanagement of billions of retirement funds only spell a deeper shade of trouble for the nation’s pension system. And despite the resulting decline in government revenue in the face of a troubled economy, government must pay pensioners.

    While it is logical that government will not pay salaries forever, the pension system must be made to work and even sustainable enough to cater for the beneficiaries for a lifetime.

    Here is a reality check. The average retirement age in Nigeria is 65, considered a positive as only 3.1 per cent of the population are 65 and above, but it is disturbing that 34.4 per cent (around 60.6 million) of the population are in the working distribution and more than four per cent of them (6.8 million) will retire before 2025 in an unpredictable mono-economy.

    Despite fluctuations in government revenue, these figures will be state responsibilities, and with the current state-regulated system, it would be only a matter of time before the vagaries of welfare statism crash the economy. Greece is still fresh in history books for those who care to know.

    When current workers provide pension funds for the retired generation predominantly through tax remittances, and the next generation of workers subsequently provides pensions for the current working class, it becomes a dangerous cycle; one that would be unravelled by the slightest drops in government revenue.

    In a desperate measure to pay pensions when revenue drops, governments usually increase the retirement age and make more borrowings as it has done in recent past, while in some cases it prints more notes and effectively ignite future economic hardships it has not been there to steer since leadership is not permanent.

    On the contrary, Nigerians should be free to decide how to invest in retirement from the onset and not cajoled into some untenable welfare scheming, and having vigorously served for 65 years, excuses of misappropriations of promised jumbo-pays cannot be enough. The present administration should make positive choices to end the sorry narrative as the 2014 Pension Reforms still promotes government dominance.

    Government is already overwhelmed with major problems as annihilation of insurgency and a deplorable healthcare system; it should urgently privatise the pensions completely. Another body should entirely be in charge of pensions just like in advanced economies, and the only body in the modern market that can effectively give an investment driven system that will not only improve pension services but also expand government tax base is the private enterprise.

    If privatisation is adopted, three initial positives will materialise: the private enterprise invested pension funds will create jobs which will increase tax base, while generated income are reinvested to spark increase in both individual pension benefits and investor’s profits, nullifying the hectic pay-as-you-go order.

    Liberal economists predicted the advent of pension funds to be a key determinant of capital in the modern economy, for it would hold greats stocks in the investment market, a prophecy exhibiting before us as we can only deprive the economy’s potentials to expand. Liberals do not only believe that a complete privatisation of the pension system will bring about healthy market competition that will promote service quality, but also foresee perpetual improvements in retirement benefits as it is in most developed countries.

    On the contrary, successive administrations have questioned the capacity of the individual to resourcefully manage his retirement savings, since the consequences of waste boil down to the hills of the state as it would be compelled to provide welfare. However, our swiftly enterprising world consumes their paranoia. In fact, statistics have revealed that people are more likely to manage effectively their retirement benefits than their regular salaries.

    The continuous government domination of the pension system undermines self-determinism and disregards human dignity. Nigerians should be at will to choose from arrays of suitable retirement plans deemed beneficial. People that worked for money determine how best it is managed.

    Governments should discontinue being custodian of the pension system since it has no permanent administrative resident. Pension policies often change with administrations and long-term reforms might be hard to achieve as far as politicians prefers to adopt popularity plans i.e., increasing pension benefits to cajole electorates, instead of correct choices to avert future economic problems. Private enterprises on the contrary are in better position for long-term pension planning, for their pedigree and corporate survival are always at stake.

    Centralisation does not make the pension system cheaper or secure; it only neglects potentials for improvements. And the absence of competition minimises choice and levies questionable service quality from the state. Chile completely privatised its pension system in the 1980sand achieved high rates on individual pension accounts, which served as a template for other Latin American countries.

    This administration should know that contemporary governments do not over-occupy themselves with divisible responsibilities anymore, especially as it concerns retirements and investments, for statehood and welfarism could be very hard and often destructive to balance, and Nigeria must be aware.

     

  • Nigeria’s exit from bond Index ’ll hurt external reserves, says economist

    What are the consequences of global agency JP Morgan’s delisting of Nigeria from the Emerging Market Bond Index (EMBI)? The action will threaten Nigeria’s $31 billion external reserves and also hurt its financial and economic rating, says an economist, Mr. Tilewa Adebajo.

    In a report obtained by The Nation, Adebajo, CEO, CFG Advisory, said the cost of borrowing would increase, noting that access to the international financial markets for sovereign and corporate entitles will be limited.

    The exit, Adebajo argued, would stem the inflow of portfolio investments which peaked at $20.5 billion in 2013.

    JP Morgan’s EMBI, with around $210 billion in assets under management, is the most widely used and comprehensive emerging market sovereign debt benchmark. Nigeria was added in the index in 2012 when liquidity was improving, making it the second African country after South Africa to be included.

    “To state the obvious, the lack of articulation on policy and economic direction by the new government is not helping matters and is unsettling the financial markets. Time is money. And in the fast emerging global fiscal order, lost time and opportunities may never really be regained,” he said.

    Adebajo said the government’s next challenge is the validation and structured financing plan for the current fiscal deficit, estimated at N6.5 trillion.

    “The government’s actions on the fuel subsidy could significantly increase this figure. With the restructuring and swap of state government commercial bank loans into Treasury Bonds, the new government has increased the domestic debt profile by N1 trillion overnight. Unfortunately, state governments have not been compelled to execute conditional covenants, such as adhering to the tenets of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which stipulates provisions for fiscal discipline,” he said.

    He said with a $49 billion domestic debt and $10.8 billion external debt overhang, Nigeria is now committing 23 per cent of its fiscal revenues to servicing debt.

    “With the levels of projected fiscal deficit, we might exceed the revenue-to-debt service best practice benchmark of 25 per cent by year end. The alignment of fiscal and monetary policy which the economy benefitted from over the last five years seems to, have been lost over the last several months,” Adebajo said.

    “Nigeria’s financial intermediation rates at 25 per cent cannot support productive investment and development; it will also stunt economic growth. Major reforms are therefore required in the banking system to support single digit rates. Banks also have to better deploy technology to reduce and manage costs. Their productivity and efficiency levels will consequently improve leading to a more competitive financial services sector.

    “Beyond the macro economy, we need to do a critical reappraisal of our trade and investment policies needed to ensure that they are properly integrated into the global value added system,” he said.

    “Beyond the macro economy, we need to do a critical reappraisal of our trade and investment policies, we need to ensure they are properly integrated into the global value- added system. The domestic gains and success we have had in the cement sector with import substitution and backward integration has primarily been, driven by an individual and unfortunately not yet replicated, nor institutionalised in other critical sectors such as agriculture, another potential engine room of Africa’s political economy considering its huge social development and value chain effect.

    “Drastic attention also needs to be paid to Customs and Excise reforms and management to ensure proper implementation of Trade Policy, Industrial Development and Investment. The corruption menace of duty waivers, duty evasion, smuggling and weak import documentation also continues to affect the naira, clearly disrupting and discouraging industrial development, investment and expansion.”

     

  • 9/11 and Nigeria’s war on terror

    As the world marks the 14th anniversary of the most deadly terror attack ever known which claimed the lives of 2,996 persons, it is critical for us to look inwards and correlate the events of that day to the acts of terrorism, particularly, religious extremism that has been on the rise in Nigeria since the beginning of this era.

    It is an undeniable fact that the four coordinated terror attacks by Al-Qaeda, a radical Islamic terrorist group on September 11, 2001, gave a new dimension and perspective to the concept of terrorism and gave credence to the fact that the world is indeed at war with itself.

    Prior to the September 11 attacks, which caused a devastating twin destruction on the World Trade Centre in New York City and the headquarters of the United States Department of Defence known as The Pentagon, the world had handled the issue of terrorism with kid gloves. With the attack however, countries strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded the powers of intelligence agencies to prevent terrorist attacks. Personnel were trained and sent on courses on how best to detect and nip terrorism in the bud. Despite these actions, terrorism grew in leaps and bounds with religious extremism as the basis for such which run contrary to the tenets of morality and dignity of the human person.

    Presently, terrorism is probably the greatest challenge besetting the human race as terror groups now use sophisticated and cutting edge technologies to perpetrate their inhuman activities.

    Nigeria, the giant of Africa and world’s most populous black nation has, since 2002, experienced an upsurge in terror activities, no thanks to the increased activities of the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram which has now gained global prominence as one of the deadliest terror groups in the world. Terrorism which was a little known before 2002 has become a vicious problem in Nigeria. It thrives because it is financed by those who have access to public funds as they now get foreign support from groups that share the same vision and mission statement.

    Particularly, the Boko Haram sect is said to be financed by major trans-border terrorist groups in Somalia, South Sudan, Egypt, Al-Qaeda, ISIS and Al-Shabaab as well as wealthy individuals within and outside the country.

    These increased funding of the Boko Haram sect has led to increased sophisticated weaponry at their disposal such that they are now well able to compete and sometimes defeat gallant soldiers.

    The activities of the sect took a new dimension with the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja in August 2010, killing 23 people in the process. The effrontery with which they attacked the UN house was a clear indication of a group that was ready to go all out to achieve its aims and send message to the international community that they are a force to reckon with.

    Through to it, the activities of the sect has become a night mare for successive governments in Nigeria as the group has expanded it horizon to neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Chad and Niger and have covered more grounds than one would have imagined.

    It is estimated that the sect killed and maimed over 17,000 people since 2009 including over 10 people in 2014 alone. The rate at which the number of those killed increases has made Nigeria to be branded among the top five most terrorized nations of the world in recent rankings.

    From the foregoing, there can be no doubt about the fact that drastic measures must be taken to checkmate the excesses of this sect that is threatening our peaceful co-existence as a united country.

    With increased activities of the sect, government has had to allocate more resources to combat the menace and with retrogressive consequences on economic growth and national development.

    Perhaps the low level of education in the Northern part of the country could be attributed to be a contributory factor to the growth of the sect over the years as the terrorist group preys on the disillusioned Muslims of the north who are jobless and with little opportunities.

    The challenges posed by the Boko Haram sect are beyond the ordinary eyes and the solutions are scarce. Successive governments have tried. Their efforts have failed to yield any positive outcome.

    It is high time we looked away from militarism alone. Military force and power have proven to aggravate rather than alleviate or eliminate the danger. Hundreds of billions of tax payers’ monies have gone down the drain in the fight against the sect and rather than see positive results in the form of reducing their activities, more deaths and deadly attacks are recorded. Hence, there is the need to change the manner of approach.

    The giant stride of this new administration at nipping in the bud the activities of the sect is commendable. Team work rather than individualism is one of the ways at which the war against terror can be won. Hence liaising with neighbouring countries facing the same threat from the sect and the international community is a step in the right direction. Help from the international community must not be focused on military assistance alone. The sect seems to be enjoying the media attention that it presently receives. Efforts must be made at ensuring basic primary education and the ability to read and write for people to understand some basic things themselves and halt their evil education in the north.

    It is unfortunate that 14 years after the world’s biggest act of terrorism, the trend of terror seem to be on the increase. As we look back to the events of that day and to many of the events in the country that have claimed the lives of fellow country men and women and as we eagerly pray and hope that those being held captive especially the Chibok girls would be released soon, it behoves on us not to lose faith that the war on terror in Nigeria and indeed the world at large is a war that can be won with the right mentality.

    The world is sick but it is the occupant of the world that made the world to be sick. So if we can cure ourselves of our sickness and embrace peace and tolerance for one another, the sickness of the world would be cured and their lies our solution

     

    • Philip, a youth advocate and social commentator, writes from Delta State
  • Nigeria’s, others’ economies gloomy, says World Bank

    Nigeria’s, others’ economies gloomy, says World Bank

    Falling global oil prices and other commodities’ rates’ decline will leave Nigeria and other sub-Sahara African’s economies worse-off this year than last year, the World Bank has said.

    It stated in its projections for the year just released at its headquarters in Washington DC ahead of its Spring meetings, that sub-Saharan Africa’s growth will slow in this year to 4.0 per cent from the 4.5 per cent recordrd last year. This year’s forecast is below the 4.4 per cent average annual growth rate of the past two decades, and well short of Africa’s peak growth rates of 6.4 per cent in 2002-08.

    However, it said the harsh economic climate will start to rebound from next year, especially for countries such as Nigeria with a diversified economy and strong services orientation.

    “ In Nigeria, for example, although the economy will suffer this year, growth is expected to rebound in 2016 and beyond, driven by a relatively diversified economy, and a buoyant services sector,” it said.

    The forecast, put together by Africa’s Pulse – a Think Tank Group of the apex bank, said low oil prices will continue to weigh down on prospects of less diversified oil exporters such as Angola and Equatorial Guinea. It added that in several oil-importing countries, such as Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya and Senegal, growth is expected to remain strong. It said in Ghana, high inflation and fiscal consolidation will weigh on growth, the same way that problems in the electricity sector will curtail growth in South Africa.

    The body said Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows were subdued last year, reflecting slower growth in emerging markets and declining commodity prices, pointing out that a good number of African countries are turning to the international bond markets to finance infrastructure projects.

    It however called for fiscal discipline and efficient deployment of government resource. Its Lead Economist for Africa and co-author of Africa’s Pulse, Punam Chuhan-Pole said: “Large fiscal deficits and inefficient government spending remain sources of vulnerability for many countries of the region. It is urgent that these countries strengthen their fiscal positions and fortify their resilience against external shocks.”

    The World Bank Group’s 2015 Spring Meetings will draw the world’s finance and development ministers to Washington, DC,  U.S for talks on the state of the global economy and international development.

     

  • Re: Ofili and Nigeria’s problems (2)

    Last week, I discussed about the ideas that Okechukwu Ofili shared in his book, How Intelligence Kills, that I thought were really worthwhile.  I could not cover what he said about the ignorance of young people about Nigeria’s history and our lack of appreciation for local innovations, which are the focus of this piece.

    Regarding Nigeria’s history, Ofili could not be more accurate about our school children (especially those attending elite private schools) knowing more about American and British history than Nigerian history.  This is to our shame.  These schools, run on Nigerian soil, in the name of practicing the curriculum of these countries, expose their learners to everything about those countries (even teaching them about foreign currency) while they are expected to function in Nigeria.

    But can we blame them?  The relevant education regulatory agencies are definitely asleep.  If not, we would not have such situations.  In our Nigerian curriculum, History is not taught as a subject at primary and junior secondary levels.  It is an elective for Humanities students at the senior secondary level.  While over one million SS3 candidates register for Mathematics and English; and 700,000 for Government in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), only about 50,000 register for History.  How then do we expect our young ones to know about Nigerian history?

    In the United States, all students learn about American History compulsorily until their second year in college.  It is no surprise then that Americans are very proud and passionate about their countries.

    I did not offer history in secondary school.  The little I know is from learning Government.  I only read about the Biafran War from Chimamanda Adiche’s book, Half of the Yellow Sun.  Before then, the bit I knew was what my father told me about his experience during the war.  He had attempted to trek from Benin to Lagos to meet his father when the war was inching closer to the city.

    It is so important that the government makes History a compulsory subject in our schools – at least up to secondary level, so that we can appreciate our heritage; and so that we can be free from this identity crisis that makes us all want to be white people.

    It is the same problem we have with local innovations.  During the Biafran war, Nigerians were forced to produce bombs from local materials; as well as build local refineries.  Today, we always hear of the Nigerian Navy destroying local refineries in the Niger-Delta produced by oil bunkerers.  I believe we are losing opportunities to develop our local technology.  Like Ofili noted in his book, we need to do all we can support local innovation.  We cannot develop without it.

  • Olorisupergal makes Nigeria’s 100 Most Influential Women list

    Olorisupergal makes Nigeria’s 100 Most Influential Women list

    NOTABLE female blogger, Tosin Ajibade, aka Olorisupergal is quite happy to be listed among top society women and entrepreneurs who have been rated 100 Most Influential Nigerian Women, by Nigerian youth platform, Y-Naija.

    “I didn’t see it coming. It’s a humbling experience for me to have been listed amongst many top celebrities I looked up to. It sure feels good to be appreciated and celebrated, and I sincerely thank the organizers for deeming it fit to have included me in the list,” she said excitedly.

    The blogger’s name was named alongside top Nigerian celebrities such as Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Funmi Iyanda, Nike Ogunlesi, Joke Silva, Ibukun Awosika, Tara Fela-Durotoye, Uche Pedro and Nkiru Olumide-Ojo among others.

    Miss Ajibade started out as a social media publicist in 2009. She created the OloriSupergal blog in 2010, and in 2012, the blog was turned into a full fledge website.

    She was recently among the panel with top celebrities such as 2Face Idibia, Editi Effiong, Lanre Olushola on the FirstBank forum at the recently held Lagos Social Media Week.

    She was also one of the co-coordinators of the “Save Debbie Project”, a platform used to raise fund for the cancer victim. She’s also one of the coordinators of the “Walk Against Rape” project since 2010.

  • Osinbajo  among ‘Nigeria’s Top 100 Lawyers’

    Osinbajo  among ‘Nigeria’s Top 100 Lawyers’

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has been listed among the Top 100 Lawyers.

    In the first-ever industry-wide ranking, Osinbajo was adjudged by the City Lawyer magazine as “having received some of the highest nominations” from peers.

    Prof Osinbajo received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1978 and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1979.

    He received a Master of Law degree from the London School of Economics in 1980. Osinbajo is renown for his game-changing reforms and landmark achievements as Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

    Osinbajo was Head of Public Law at the Faculty of Law, UNILAG and Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice between 1988 and 1992.

    He has over 31 years of litigation experience including significant trial and appellate work. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Osinbajo is the Senior Partner at Simmons Cooper Partners, a leading commercial litigation and corporate commercial firm with multi-jurisdictional competence spanning Nigeria, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK).

    He has conducted crucial constitutional and precedent-setting cases before the Nigerian Supreme Court. Some of these include fiscal disputes between the federating units and the federal government; disputes regarding the ownership and control of oil and gas resources; town and physical planning disputes between the federating units and the federal government; an international territorial jurisdictional dispute in the West African sub-regional court; shareholder disputes involving a multinational company, private investors and state-owned investment corporations, and energy disputes arising from multinational participation in power projects in Nigeria.

    A member of the International Bar Association and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Osinbajo has served in Nigeria’s Body of Benchers and Council for Legal Education. He is currently an independent Director of Citi Bank Nigeria and an Ethics Adviser to the board of the Africa Development Bank.

    He has also served in various capacities within the United Nations organization including serving as a staff member and Member of the UN Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN peacekeeping personnel.

    Osinbajo is Co-founder & Board Member of the Convention on Business Integrity and the Justice Research Institute Ltd. In 2007, he co-founded with his wife Oludolapo, “The Orderly Society Trust”, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting good governance among other objects. He is a lucid author and much sought after speaker both locally and internationally.

    He is actively involved in the pursuit of legal education and justice sector reform in Nigeria, and is Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Olive Tree Parish, Banana Island.

    In honour of his contributions to legal reform and development, a compendium of essays on Nigerian constitutional law was compiled.

     

     

  • Nigeria’s top five music

    THE Nigeria music industry has really come a long way and has, undoubtedly, produced talents from different parts of the country.

    Given the peculiar nature of the Nigerian society, it is pertinent to take a look at the artistes who have been the voice of the masses through their lyrics, while also speaking against corruption and bad governance.

    Though the Taliban movement started out across the Arab world, it evolved into an insurrectionist movement with a global clout. By connotation, the Nigerian entertainment scene has had its share of non-conformist artistes who have, in their own rights, been the voice of the masses, kicking against biting government’s policies with hard- hitting lyrics.

    Leading that crop is none other than the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Long before the music industry became what it is today, the Afrobeat music pioneer was seen as a voice of the masses through his lyrics. Singing against bad government and corrupt leadership made him popular, thereby earning him a cult following, a legacy that still stands till date. In 1976, Fela released an album titled Zombie, which was directed at the then military administration. As a singer, he didn’t mince words when criticising the government, referring to corrupt officials by name and parodying them as Vagabonds in Power. There were, however, consequences to be faced which included incarceration. Like a warrior, Fela let it roll like water off a duck’s back.

    In no particular order, Eedris abdulkareem comes next. It all started for him in 2004 when he released his third album, Jaga Jaga, on the imprint of Kennis music. Its title track laments the corruption and sufferings in Nigeria, earning him a ban from radio airplay by the then Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, in a televised address. But it continued to enjoy a run at nightclubs, parties and on streets, probably because of its banging beat. He later came back after the regime of Obasanjo with the album The King is Back.

    Unlike most new age artistes, Eedris took a turn in his career when he dropped the rap genre and decided to be a strong voice in the industry to fight against the suffering and corruption in the country. He earlier released a song in 2002 titled Mr. Lecturer, which addressed the problem of students using money and sex to obtain higher grades in Nigerian colleges and universities as well as male lecturers exploiting female students and requesting sex and money in exchange for good grades.

    Another artiste we can hardly forget is Chinagorom Onuoha, popularly known as African China. China, as he is fondly called, is an outspoken artiste who is not afraid to address the wrongs in Nigeria such as corruption. He was once dubbed the voice of the Nigerian masses. A brilliant singer and an energetic live performer with breath-taking dance moves, his hit single, Mr. President ,took his career to new heights, internationally. Some of the lyrics in the song are: poor man wey thief magi dem go show him face for crime fighters, rich man wey thief money we no dey see their face for crime fighters.

    Having taken a break from the music scene, China recently released a new track titled Boko Haram, which speaks of the ongoing bombings in the Northern part of the country.

    After he broke up with the Plantashun Boiz to pursue his solo career, Blackface released his first solo single, Hardlife , which focused on the downside of life in the ghetto, how difficult and rugged it was to survive and how the government had abandoned the youths. He also made mention of bad roads and electricity in the country. Blackface touched on a couple of issues as they affect the common man; and till date, he is known for bringing out conscious lyrics.

    When he released Ole, many wondered what Sultan was thinking at that moment because the song came across as deep in truth and reality. Ole is a Yoruba word for a thief. Sound Sultan went deeper into what the citizens lack and how bad governance had gone in the country, considering Nigeria’s natural resources like petroleum and agriculture.

    In his opinion, Nigerians continue to suffer even more than other countries that are lacking in natural resources. The track features 2face and W4, giving it more credibility. After a period of time, Sultan released another track titled 2010, which was also directed at the government and its stream of failed promises

  • Apapa Customs rakes in N121b

     

    The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) boosted the government’s coffer with N121 billion in the first six months of the year.

    The Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command, Mr Emmanuel Ekpa, in the command’s half-year performance report, said the amount collected represented only 52 per cent of the total revenue targeted to be generated within the first half of the year.

    Ekpa said: “The command collected over N121 billion as revenue generated into the federation and non-federation accounts between January and June 2013. The amount collected is about 52 per cent of the N234 billion aspired to be collected in the first six months of the year going by the monthly revenue target of N39 billion.”

    A breakdown of the revenue figure shows that the Command collected N20.8 billion in January; N19.8 billion in February; N18.6 billion in March. However, in the month of April, over N20 billion was collected as against N19.7 billion raked in the same period last year. The performance showed an increase in the previous year’s record.

    The Command collected N19.8 billion in May as against N24.6 billion in May 2012. For the month of June, the command collected a total of N21 billion as against the N36.7billion in June of 2012.

    Ekpa said that the inability of the Command to meet its half year target was due to the continuous decline in the volume of importation into the country.

  • Cleaning up Nigeria’s toxic playgrounds

    Cleaning up Nigeria’s toxic playgrounds

    In a remote region of northern Nigeria the signs of a lead poisoning crisis caused by small-scale gold mining are still visible especially among children, despite a four-year clean-up project.

    Four-year-old Umaima stares into space, seeming detached from all that is going on around her in the small village of Sumke.

    She has not been able to talk or hear since she was two. For some months she was unable to walk until she received medical treatment.

    “I feel lucky, because a child next door died of the same illness,” her mother says.

    The contamination in Nigeria’s Zamfara state is seen as the worst case of lead poisoning in the world.

    More than 460 children have died since 2009, and the health of thousands has been affected.

    The lead is a deadly by-product of the small-scale gold mining industry in Zamfara.

    The government says the mining is illegal, but in this rural Muslim region of north-western Nigeria it has been going on for generations – and it was a discovery of greater deposits that has led to the recent boom in digging for gold.

     

    Dangerous work

     

    At the Darata gold mine, a group of men gather around several deep dark pits, waiting for their colleagues who are several dozen feet under the ground hacking away at the rock.

    It is dangerous work and some are down the pits for several days at a time.

    “I’m never going to stop this work because it’s the only way I can earn a living around here,” says one of the miners as he emerges from a deep pit.

    “I know some people have died from poisoning, but not from my family and even if anything were to happen it would be a sign of God’s will,” he tells me.

     

    Village dust

     

    The sacks of rock which are brought up from underground are carried on the backs of motorbikes to a nearby processing site.

    Here dozens of men and young boys work under the 45C (113F) heat hammering rocks, operating grinding machines and sifting for gold.

    The danger is in the dust. It is full of toxic lead, and is carried to the workers’ homes on their clothes and tools.

    Most at risk are the children because the dust turns their villages into a poisonous playground.

    Their young bodies are vulnerable to the effects of the toxins.

    This crisis began in 2009. The government has not stopped the activity, though it says it will introduce safer mining practices – which are yet to be seen on the ground.

    President Goodluck Jonathan pledged $4m (£2.6m) in May 2012, however, the money was not released until January.

    It took an online and media campaign by local and international organisations to get the funds released.

    Mercy Abang, a journalist and activist from Citizens Platform, was part of that drive, and says it is not enough for the money to be released but it also has to be used appropriately.

    “It’s not news that we have a history of misappropriation of funds in Nigeria,” she says.

    “The money has to pass through several stages to get down, and it is necessary for us to follow the money at each stage.”

    Bagega village is the last of the eight affected communities to be cleaned up over the last four years.

    Using shovels, workers dig up and remove all the contaminated soil and replace it with clean earth – in some cases the walls of these mud buildings have to be plastered afresh.

    It is a painfully slow process, and is not helped by the fact that the equipment promised by the government has not arrived.

    No children in this village can be treated for the effects of the poisoning until this clean-up is completed.

     

    Long-term fears

     

    In Sumke village, where the toxic soil has been removed, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) runs a treatment clinic where mothers bring their affected children to receive medicine.

    It is a complicated, drawn out process, which for some children could last up to 15 years.

    But the aid agencies will not stay that long.

    MSF’s Zackaria Mwatia worries that the government might not be able to take over from them.

    “The main challenge we face is we don’t see [the] federal ministry of health on the ground,” he says.

    “We would like them to send the doctors, the nurses, the laboratory scientists so that we build their capacity.

    “They would have built their skills and they will be able to handle this programme successfully.”

    Health Minister Dr Muhammed Pate said MSF had no reason to worry.

    “This is a man-made disaster; it is not a natural disaster – illegal mining is the underlying reason for this lack of awareness is behind it,” he says.

    “We can’t sit behind and… not take action. Government will continue to take all steps to protect the lives and well being of its people.”

    But as the blame is traded, thousands of children in these villages face a difficult future.

    As the mining continues it is they who will pay a high price.