The House of Representatives has called the federal government to develop a framework for the gradual phase-out and eventual ban of highly hazardous pesticides.
The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Wednesday by Hon. Clement Jimbo.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker said that pesticides are used in agriculture to protect crops from pests and diseases thereby ensuring food security.
He, however, said that the growing circulation of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHP’s) in the country poses grave risks to human health, food safety, environment sustainability and biodiversity.
Jimbo said that NAFDAC and other world bodies in charge of regulation classify highly hazardous pesticides as those presenting particularly high levels of acute or chronic hazards to health or environment.
He said even when used as instructed and that over 50 per cent of NAFDAC-registered pesticides are in the region of HHP, and close to 60 per cent of them are already banned in other climes.
Jimbo expressed concern that 70 per cent of suicide in Nigeria involves the ingestion of HHP’s pesticides ( i.e DDVP in Sniper), inadvertently due to indiscriminate importation, sale, and use of such hazardous chemicals expose farmers, consumers, water sources, pollinators and entire ecosystem to dangerous contamination.
He added that the use of hazardous pesticides are also causing huge economic losses to Nigerian food exporters due to rejection at Port of destination during inspection as a result of preservative use and method.
The lawmaker expressed concern that reports from health and environment experts indicate rising cases of pesticides poisoning, soil degradation, food residue contamination traceable to unregulated use of HPP’s in Nigeria.
Jimbo noted that research shows that seven out of thirteen most common pesticides active ingredients in Nigeria are cancerous, adding that in the year 2020, over 270 died in Oyo Obi community of Benue State as a result of Endosulphan in their community river.
He expressed worry that the continued inaction could undermine food security, endanger public health, violate international obligations as well as environment protection and increase long-term medical and ecological costs to the Nation.
The lawmaker added that there are various forms of organic and agro-ecological alternatives existing in Nigeria that are sustainable and economically viable that usage might have been suppressed.
The House resolved: “Urge the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Environment and other relevant Agencies as well as Non-Governmental Organization to immediately conduct a nationwide review and inventory of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHP’s) in circulation.
“Mandate NAFDAC to strengthen regulation, monitoring and enforcement on the importation, distribution and use of pesticides, with particular attention to Highly Hazardous Pesticides and keep the list of banned pesticides updated at all times.
“Urge the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria to carry out an integrated pest management strategies and incentive driven support that promotes safer alternatives such as organic biopesticides and agroecology already in use by Nigerian farmers.
“Urge the Committee on Agricultural Production and Services as well as Environment to liaise with relevant agencies and stakeholders to develop a framework for the gradual phase-out and eventual ban of Highly Hazardous Pesticides.”