Accra, July 12, GNA - The Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) on Wednesday debunked the assertion that farmers in some communities were still using chemicals banned under the Stockholm Convention of 1985. Mr. John Pwamang, Director, Chemical Control and Management Centre of the EPA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said banned products of the Convention had also been banned in Ghana and the country was in no way encouraging the use of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) as being speculated.

Reacting to a newspaper publication that the use of agro-chemicals in the country had reached an alarming rate and was causing reproductive dysfunctions and suppression of the immune system he said, "The use and importation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have been banned since 1985".

Mr. Pwamang said the EPA had travelled the length and breath of the country and had taken inventory of all chemicals being used as pesticides and a National Implementation Plan which, was the official policy on POPs had been prepared by the Agency.

He added that a pesticides registration and licensing scheme was currently in place in accordance with the Pesticides Control and Management Act of 1996 (Act 528).

"Ghana, through the EPA is playing a lead role in the promotion of safe management of chemicals, including the POPs and it is therefore not true that Ghana continues to encourage the use of POPs, including DDT, Dieldrin Eldrin and Lindane."

He stressed that the importation and use of POPs listed under the Stockholm Convention still remained banned under Act 528. He challenged the non-governmental organisation that made the assertion to provide a documented evidence of their claim. 12 July 06