By Sariba Manneh
Lamin B Dibba, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources has called for an end to persistent organic pollutant in The Gambia.
The Minister stated that organic pollutant is toxic chemical that adversely affect human health and the environment as well as the country’s wildlife.
He noted that organic pollutant will persist for a long period in the environment and can accumulate and pass from one generation to another through the food chain.
Talking on the global concern, the Minister expressed that The Gambia ratified the convention on POPs in June 2003, the convention aims to reduce or eliminate the production, use and for release of POPs.
He added that The Gambia has recognized the need and as well took the courageous steps toward the development of institutional framework for the sound management of chemical to support a rapidly growing industrial and agricultural sector. To meet the obligation under the convention, they had to prepare a National Implementation plan NIP that outlined the situation of POPs in the country and develop strategies to meet the requirement of the convention.
Momodou Jama Suwareh, Executive Director of NEA said one of the key activities was inventory of POPs, creating awareness and building capacity and also to enlighten the people living in The Gambia on environment issues like sound chemical management, the National Environment Agency, and collaboration with stakeholder institutions.
He noted that those chemicals are important determinants for sustainable development, sound environment health and quality of life. While the use of chemical in all human activities such as agriculture, health, and energy production, and manufacture, service and residential.
