Walewale (N/R), 3 Aug, GNA - The Mamprusi West District in the Northern Region, has banned the use of weedicide and agro-chemicals in human settlements, because it has been proved to be harmful to the people and domestic animals.

Mr. Zakaria Sulley Abudu, District Chief Executive, told GNA at Walewale that some people in the area have complained that chemicals, used for spraying weeds in gardens and backyard farms have caused the deaths of domestic animals and poultry as they drunk water that was polluted by the chemicals and fed on the sprayed grass. He explained that rain water has washed agro-chemicals into water bodies, including dams from which animals drunk and streams and wells from which the people collected water.

Mr Abudu expressed concern that the chemicals could affect aquatic creatures such as fishes and crocodiles and "destroy organic life in the soils and kill insects that are needed for pollination of the crops." He said users of the chemicals, who did not wear protective clothing, were at risk of contracting diseases. Mr. Abudu said the assembly was collaborating with the Ministry of Food And Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency to educate the people on the usage of agro-chemicals and its effects on their health.

He said the assembly had dispatched letters to churches and mosques to educate the congregation on the effects of chemicals and the need to avoid using chemicals in the communities. Farmers in the region use weedicides, imported from neighbouring countries to destroy weeds because they are cheaper than human labour.