From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS: NIGERIA: PEOPLE BEING POISONED BY P
Date: 12 Sep 92 14:27:51 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Originator: barnhart@gagme

Reference: Agriculture; Environment
Title: NIGERIA: PEOPLE BEING POISONED BY POPULAR PESTICIDE CURE-ALL


an inter press service feature

by ebunoluwa okusanya

abeokuta, nigeria sep 5 (ips) -- the lives of fish eaters in
this sleepy western nigerian town may be in peril unless they
alter their eating habits or fishermen change their methods.

fishermen still use a powerful poison, added to the water,
to boost their catches despite a 13-year-old government ban on
the method says bola adekoya, a fisheries project officer here.

adekoya belives about 70 per cent of the fish in ogun are
caught with gammalin, a pesticide meant for use on cocoa trees.

''when a little gammalin is applied in water, it kills the
fish causing the fish to float, making it easier for
fishermen'', says adekoya.

the incentive to fishermen to use the insecticide boils down
to economics. gammalin costs less than a fishing net. its only
disadvantage, from the fisherman's point of view, is the
unhealthy grey colour and peculiar smell which the fish develop.

gammalin was introduced to nigeria in the 1950s for use in
cocoa production in the southern states but farmers soon started
using the pesticide against against mealy bug infestation. it is
highly toxic and carcinogenic.

''about 70 per cent of fruit trees are infested with the bug
making it diffcult for fruit to grow, and farmers cannot
afford any other pesticide than gammalin,'' explained seyi
osunfisan, director of the state vetinary services.

the pesticide is popular because it has been discovered to be
three times as effective as the safer chemicals available on
the market, osunfisan says.

although it is banned in several countries, gammalin is still
manufactured in nigeria.

according to dr ayodele oni, the state director of disease
control, taking gammalin in diluted form can cause cancer while
injesting the pesticide directly could kill.

alarmingly, gammalin has now become a popular local
cure-all.

''some farmers take it orally to kill worms in their body.
while some use it on wounds, thinking it is the best way to heal
them,'' says osunfisan.


nigeria: people (2)

but the victims are not only farmers. veterinary doctor,
adedamola soremekun, 42, told ips he was poisoned after eating
kola nuts -- a popular stimulant and export crop -- sprayed with
gammalin.

farmers like sefiu adeosun do not believe the pesticide is
harmful to humans. adeosun, 38, has been using gammalin for 16-
years. when ips asked him if he had known of its side effects on
humans adeosun said: ''i do not know that it can cause such
havoc.''

''it has been very effective on my crops especially citrus
and mangoes. when i've applied gammalin the mealy bugs
all die,'' said adeosun.

other pesticides are ''expensive and not easily accessible
(so) tell us what we can use?'' asked the frustrated farmer.

in oni's view the only way to stop farmers using the deadly
pesticide is through its banning and a massive education
campaign. (end/ips/eo/ro/oa/92)


-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois