The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has held a stakeholder Endorsement Workshop on Review and Update of National Implementation Plan (NIP) of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
The POPs conference which was held on the theme “A Future Detoxified: Sound Management of POPs in Ghana” at the Alisa Hotel recently was intended to engage participants in the NIP review process.
According to the Deputy Executive Director, EPA, Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, Ghana as a country prepared its first NIP in 2007.
He indicated that the review has now come of age as a result of the introduction of new chemicals in the system.
Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention requires that all parties prepare their national Implementation Plans (NIPs) which is a formal planning document.
The Deputy Executive Director also explained that the NIP document defines a country’s commitment, current situation and actions and plans to undertake in the field of POPs management.
Mr. Appah Sampong indicated that the EPA within its constraints was doing its best to sensitize the public on sound environmental management practice such as emissions emanating from traffic and waste disposal methods.
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations (MESTI), Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng expressed worry about the recent public interest in the use of chemicals for various purposes.
According to him most of the chemicals currently in use for agro and industrial purposes have very serious health and environmental implications unknown to the users.
“We are talking about something (Chemicals) which have very serious consequences on our state of wellbeing; we must see the emerging threats as a clarion call to set the campaign going,” he advised.
Prof. James H. Ephraim, of the Nduom School of Business and Technology who was Chairman for the event called for the introduction of IT Management related to Environmental Studies.
He indicated that such messages should be structured in such a way that it targets all ages and levels of education.
The Professor called for capacity enrichment programmes and adequate funding; if EPA and other related agencies are to be functional.
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