Survey on Information Seeking Behaviour of Local Miners in Lead Poison Affected Areas of Anka and Maru Local Government Areas of Zamfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study surveyed the information seeking behaviour of the local miners in the lead poison affected areas of Anka and Maru local Government areas of Zamfara state. This study adopted survey research design, 245 local miners in the affected area were used as population of the study, and simple random sampling technique was used for the study. Self-structured questionnaire were used as instrument for data collection from respondents The instruments were validated by three experts who found the instrument valid for the study after making some corrections. The major findings of this study indictaed that local miners needs information on accidents associated with mining such as drowning, tumbling, suffocation, rock fall and how to improve thier work through the use of modern facilities with 87% respectively. lack of access to sources of safety information, lack of time, ignorance, language barrier, cost of information and lack of infrastructures. Recommendations includes: Government agencies need to consider how to provide better safety information services to the local miners in the area under study, and whether to make knowledge on the use of safety equipment a necessary requirement for qualifying to participate in mining activities. Adequate penalties for failure to comply with government regulations may be required to compel the local miners to ensure compliance with safety rules and regulations. The paper’s originality lies in the information needs of the local miners in the lead poison affected areas of Anka and Maru local Government areas of Zamfara state, Nigeria.