Accra, – Parliament by 115 votes to none today ratified the United Nations Convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons. The convention seeks to ban the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention and direct or indirect transfer of chemical weapons. Ghana signed the convention in January, 1993. The joint committees on Environment, Science and Technology, and Defence and Interior, which considered the convention, said in its report that Ghana will benefit from the exchange of scientific It said the convention which will come into force within a month will greatly influence trade in chemicals. Ghanaian Peacekeeping personnel who may be exposed to chemical weapons in peacekeeping operations are also to get training in handling chemical warfare material. Mr Francis Nyarko, NPP-Kade, said Ghana as a nation developing its chemical industries will have some toxic materials coming in which the convention will help in their management. He said ratifying the convention amounted to taking an insurance policy against chemical accidents such as those that happened in Bhopal in India and the Cameroun.
