Accra (Greater Accra) 1st April '99 Participants at the national review workshop on integrated chemicals management in Ghana on Wednesday re-affirmed that management and safety are important component of the overall strategy for sustainable development. They noted that management of chemicals and safety should be made a component of the programme of action for the second medium- term development plan of Vision 2020. The three-day workshop, which ended today, was based on a mandate by the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) and other international organisations, which selected Ghana as one of four countries to prepare a draft national report on integrated chemical management and safety. The mandate was based on a profile for management of chemicals, which Ghana successfully completed in 1997. The review workshop, attended by about 100 stakeholders drawn from the Ministries, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Research institutions, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the universities, was sponsored by UNITAR and the Inter-Organisation Programme for Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC). In a nine-point resolution, participants called on all stakeholders, including ministries, departments, agencies and the civil society NGOs and the private sector to actively participate in activities aimed at achieving chemical safety. The participants urged the government, the private sector and the international development partners to assist with sustainable financing initiatives for management of chemicals. "All efforts pertaining to integrated management of chemicals should be continuously promoted by means of preventive approaches together with the development of national capacity to manage chemical-related poisoning, accidents and pollution." Mr Achim Halpaap, UNITAR co-ordinator, said he was impressed with the work undertaken in Ghana within the last two years and particularly within the last three days. He, however, urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish some of the relevant documents prepared by the task force and make them available to the public. "This could be a first step in circulating the needed information on chemicals management and safety". Mr Halpaap pledged the support of UNITAR and IOMC to work with Ghana on the next plan of action or project proposal towards chemical safety and management. Dr Peter Acquah, Executive Director of EPA, said the agency would begin the registration of all chemicals next month.