Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers Banned from Mining Sites in Ebonyi

From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki

A None Governmental Organization (NGO), Women in Mining in Ebonyi State has banned Pregnant women, Nursing Mothers and under-age children from going to work in mining companies in accordance with the mining law of 2007.

The President of the NGO Mrs Silvia Ogbinya disclosed this to Journalists during their quarterly meeting in Cabinet office, old Government House, Abakaliki.

Ogbinya said the stoppage of such category of Persons from mining sites is to ensure the healthy nature of every Mother and children in the State and entire Nigeria.

She said “if there are trace of any open pits where miners have used and left, because of the mutual relationship with Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, we will just write a report to them and they would as well direct such Persons to go to such open pit to reclaim it by sand filling it.”

“It is our duty as NGO in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel to ensure that all minings are done appropriately in Ebonyi State in particular and Nigeria at large”. Ogbinya added.

The President said the taskforce of women in Mining ensures that anyone engaged in mining activities in the state carries out the business of mining in accordance with international best practices, adding that miners who contravenes laid down regulations guiding the business of mining would be handed over to the appropriate authorities.

She said part of their achievements are: training the women on precautionary measures guiding Mining; forming members in not less than 20 cooperatives and getting sites to members.

She urged Government to assist them with vehicle, fund and machines to ease their operations.

Also the Executive Director, Neighborhood Environment Watch Foundation, who is also the Patron of Women in Mining in the State, Dr Kelechi Okezie said his foundation decided to integrate free Medical screening with the meeting of Women in Mining to enable them know their Health status considering the negative effects of Hepatitis B&C and HIV/AIDS in the society today.

Dr Okezie said “Hepatitis B &C is a growing pandemic which if not detect and treat on time would pose serious health challenges, it can develop to cancer of the liver but early detection and treatment can forestall it’s devastating effects.

Okezie added that his foundation Neighborhood Environment Watch Foundation started by giving the women in Mining Health Education.

All these Healthcare deliveries are free of charge. We have taken this Healthcare delivery to some Local Government Areas LGAs of the State like Ohaozara, Ikwo and Ebonyi LGAs.