Hundreds of facebook users have besieged President Goodluck Jonathan’s facebook page asking him the reason he broke his promise to release funds to clean up poisonous Lead in Zamfara State.

On Thursday, two rights groups, Human Rights Watch and the Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network, NYCAN, called on the public to prevail on Mr. Jonathan to release the said funds.

Related Article: President Jonathan’s ‘Broken Promise’ For Poisoned Children Is Target Of Social Media Campaign

“Unless the promised funds are released immediately, cleanup of the contaminated areas won’t be able to start until after next year’s rainy season, leaving thousands more children at risk of death and permanent disability,” said Babatunde Olugboji of Human Rights Watch.

Over 400 children have died from the lead poisoning, according to Mr. Olugboji, and thousands more are in dire need of medical attention.

The rights groups said that government’s failure to release the promised funds has left thousands of children with lifelong disability in the worst lead poisoning outbreak in recent history.

After the groups’ request on Thursday, hundreds of comments telling Mr. Jonathan that ” Children are dying and your government’s failure to act is putting more children at risk” surfaced on his page.

In his last facebook post, Mr. Jonathan’s had pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with his “transformation agenda.”

“Last year, you entrusted me with your mandate by voting for me to emerge as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I continue to hold that mandate in trust for you and future generations of Nigeria.

“Over the past year, this administration has been working on fulfilling the promises I made to you during the campaigns. Many of those promises will take time to come to fruition…,” Mr. Jonathan wrote on his November 1 post.

The comments on the Zamfara lead poisoning were put under Mr. Jonathan’s last post.

“I know you’ve got a lot of difficult tasks to tackle in the next year, but the Zamfara cleanup is one that has a proven solution and you have the funds to solve it. Respect your citizens by cleaning up toxins,” read one comment on his post by Elyse Leonard.

Another post by M Ahmet Nermin read “#Lead poisoning in Zamfara State, Nigeria, killed 400+ children and left thousands more with permanent life-long disability. In May, President Goodluck Jonathan pledged $4,000,000 to clean up the lead contamination. Today, that money is nowhere to be found, and thousands of children remain at risk of death and disability.

idupaul: Can Zamfara people be patient with GEJ can't they see that he is building a new banquet hall and stiill has to provide 9 billion for VP accommodation...

Even the new UN Building is a very pressing matter.

dominique: I wanted to visit the page to read the comments, couldn't get myself to 'like' this fella.

mitwitdot: The poster forgot to mention they illegal mines causing the lead poison. It is now a multi million dollar venture and so many people are on these illegal miners payroll. Including the communities that thier children are dying of lead poisoning, state environmental agencies, police force etc. Lets get our facts straight before pointing fingers. If you clean the place up, a thousand more illegal mines will spring up to replace the old ones...is just the "nigerian syndrome".

Parnassuss:

Being that the mines and minerals all belong to the federal government there is nothing for Jonathan to do except clean up that Bleep up. Besides who gives a damn whether its illegal mining or not, are the kids the ones mining it? What also makes you think there are billions being made from tiny pit holes? Abeg get your facts straight and stop trying to justify GEJ's total incompetence

gboss4sure: No be to release money be the problem here but if release without due proccess they money will be siphoned and yet you all will come and cry jonathan dis jonathan that. He needs to find capable hand to entrust the job to

el bin manny: For more than 40yrs that the niger delta region have suffered oil spillage! Farm lands destroyed, aquatic system made useless, no roads, no school or health centres! Yet they provide the nation's revenue! Oil money have been used to develop other cities while the niger delta suffers! All these took place when their son's where in power, owning oil wells till date! How many of them complained?? They were busy forming born to rule.
You can all die for all I care! This is just the genesis! Make una wait till I start to poison the air wey una the breath with gaseous otapiapia!!! Idiotas!!!

emmydeep:
They realy think that GEJ doesnt know anything. But i tell you that he is one of the most wise president that Nigeria will ever have.
Some f.o.ols want him to give them $4.000.000. To sponsor Bokoharam and they think he doesnt know ?. If they like let them be poisoned with uranium or plutinium for all i care.
Those supporting the Abokis are the real RETARDEEN. GEJ is only trying to restore what the uncivilized herdsmen destroyed.

deletrue: One of the most senseless comments. Are the so called kids not having parents to restrain them from tampering these mines and minerals. Ok, were the parents not benefiting from these illegal activity by their kids? So, they can as well enjoy the outcome of the illegalites.

Parnassuss:

Being that the mines and minerals all belong to the federal government there is nothing for Jonathan to do except clean up that Bleep up. Besides who gives a damn whether its illegal mining or not, are the kids the ones mining it? What also makes you think there are billions being made from tiny pit holes? Abeg get your facts straight and stop trying to justify GEJ's total incompetence

el bin manny: For more than 40yrs that the niger delta region have suffered oil spillage! Farm lands destroyed, aquatic system made useless, no roads, no school or health centres! Yet they provide the nation's revenue! Oil money have been used to develop other cities while the niger delta suffers! All these took place when their son's where in power, owning oil wells till date! How many of them complained?? They were busy forming born to rule.
You can all die for all I care! This is just the genesis! Make una wait till I start to poison the air wey una the breath with gaseous otapiapia!!! Idiotas!!!

mr_man: Masses: mr president wey the funds wey u promise na?
GEJ: make una cool down na shuo, abi una nor see say I wan build banquet hall abi no be una talk say a hungry man is an angry man?
What we have in this country is a chronic case of misplaced priorities.