'Enforce laws on use of mercury for mining’
The Director of Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Fredua Agyeman, has called for the enforcement of laws that criminalise the activities of miners who use mercury in their work.
Advertisement
He expressed optimism that when enforced, the devastating effects of mercury on humans such as damage to the central nervous system, thyroid glands, kidneys, lungs, immune system, eyes, gum and skin as well as neurological and behavioural disorders would be minimised.
Mr Agyeman made the call at a roundtable discussion on raising awareness of the Minamata Convention on mercury.
Organised by Ecological Restorations, a non-governmental organisation(NGO), with support from the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) and the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) in Ghana, it was aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of mercury to humans and the environment.
The roundtable discussion was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and NGOs.
Minamata Convention
The Minamata conventionon Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.
In October 2013, the treaty was signed by 128 countries and ratified by 10 countries to become a convention.
Ghana is a signatory to the convention.
Mr Agyeman called for another look to be taken at the issue of small-scale mining being the livelihood of majority of indigenous people in mining communities.
Other Trending Stories
Among others, he suggested that they should be given other forms of skills training to earn their livelihood. Mercury emission
In Ghana, according to a 2014 environmental report by the EPA, artisanal small-scale mining contributed to 34.8 per cent (1,464,781 ounces) of mercury usage in gold production as of 2013.
In a presentation on the “Development of a national plan for the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury,” the acting Director of Chemicals Control and Management Centre of EPA, Dr Sam Adu-Kumi, said the convention called on parties that had artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing subject within its territory to take steps to reduce and, where feasible, eliminate the use of mercury and mercury compounds.
So far, he said, a national plan of action was being put in place to put together national objectives and reduction targets on mercury, work at eliminating worst practices, formalise or regulate the sector as well as come out with a baseline estimates of the quantities of mercury used and the practices employed.
The Executive Director of Ecological Restoration, Mr Emmanuel Odjam-Akumatey, said the Minamata Convention enjoined signitories to reduce and, where feasible, eliminate the use of mercury mining and processing.
He said Ecological Restoration was, therefore, ready to work with the government and other agencies to educate the public on the legislations that regulate mercury imports and use in Ghana.
Among some of the activities lined-up, he said, included intensive education on the effects of mercury, especially in the mining areas, support the phase-out of the use of mercury where necessary, especially in artisanal mining.
Writer's email: [email protected]