THE National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) will soon begin to arrest and prosecute dealers of banned hazardous pesticides and chemicals in the country.

The agency is to start sensitisation of farmers and traders in Enugu and Osun states on the use of chemicals after which compliance monitoring and enforcement would follow immediately.

In a statement made available to The Guardian in Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary of NESREA, Mr. Sule Oyofo, noted that NESREA has been in the forefront of the global war against the use of hazardous pesticides in the country and beyond, adding that not too long ago, the agency mounted surveillance in markets where the banned chemicals were known to be sold to farmers.

According to him, the investigation was carried out in the pilot states of Lagos, Enugu, Osun, Benue and Katsina while the exercise revealed the presence of banned pesticides in most of the markets visited.

“Traders who did not display them on the shelves were ready to provide them for customers on demand”, he said.

Oyofo, who listed the banned pesticides found in the markets to include Chlodimeform, Butachor and Orizo Plus, said: “These pesticides have been proven to be harmful to humans and the environment. Owing to their hazardous nature, they are placed under the category of banned and restricted agro chemicals under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. In humans, these banned pesticides cause discomforts such as abdominal pains, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting as well as skin and eye problems. In the long run, they could lead to cancer, neurological problems, dementia, and reproductive problems such as miscarriages, birth defects, and premature birth.”

He observed that repeated application of the banned agro chemicals lead to loss of biodiversity and many of them are not easily degradable, adding that they persist in the soil, leach to ground water and surface water thereby contaminating the environment.

Oyofo, who recalled that experts have linked poor agricultural yield to the use of banned chemicals, said: “For example, Nigerian cocoa is not accepted in the international market because of the chemicals used on the produce.

“It is therefore not surprising that most traders and farmers whom NESREA interacted with during the surveillance exercise complained of illnesses such as dizziness, constant headache, and allergic reactions. While some of the farmers were aware of the ban on the pesticides, most of the farmers were ignorant of same.

“Investigation showed improper handling of agro chemicals by the traders and farmers. For instance, most traders and farmers do not use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when handling the pesticides. When the pesticides expire, the farmers applied overdose with the belief that it would make them more effective.”

He added: “There was also the problem of indiscriminate disposal of empty chemical/pesticide containers.

“As a fall-out from the investigation, sensitisation exercises were carried out in Lagos, Katsina and Benue by NESREA in conjunction with West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) under World Bank Assisted Project to enlighten farmers and traders on the proper management of pesticides. More sensitisation will hold in Enugu and Osun states within this quarter.”