THE National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) and the Chief Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (CGCLA) have started a campaign to provide education on the correct use of mercury for small-scale gold miners in the Lake Zone.

Speaking with miners in Misungwi District, Mwanza Region yesterday, registration of chemicals and laboratories manager at CGCLA Musa Kazumila said that education is based on the requirements of the Minamata Convention.

He said that the convention wants country members to implement its goals that include controlling the use of mercury for small miners, adding that they started with miners of Chata, Shokeraera, Shilalo and Luhala mines located in Misungwi District.

Kazumila said that in the project financed by the World Bank and coordinated by NEMC, CGCLA has been given the responsibility of providing education on safe management and safe use of mercury.

He said the aim of providing education is also to build the capacity of miners and users of mercury so that they can identify how mercury enters the body, its effects and how to protect themselves from mercury.

Dereki Masako, an official with CGCLA in Dodoma, said it is important for miners to use protective equipment to protect themselves against the effects of mercury and identified some of its effects as damaging the nervous system, impaired vision and kidney failure.

He said that mercury affects the growth of the child in pregnant mothers in areas where safe use and storage are not observed.

Haji Nasri, one of the miners, admitted that they did not understand the effects of mercury, adding that they were happy with the knowledge because most of them have been engaged in gold mining without considering the health effects that may occur.