National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Ghana's National Implementation Plan (NIP) elaborates the current POPs situation and details the commitments and ongoing activities for the control and management of POPs. The focus of the NIP is in line with the National Environmental Action Plan, and the Ghana Government's Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies 2017-2024 among others. The implementation of the NIP constitute an important step towards meeting the commitments of the World Summit on Sustainable Development whose goal is to ensure that, by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize their significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. The NIP ultimately seeks to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
All the POP- pesticides covered by the Stockholm Convention have long been prohibited from use in Ghana. The challenges for the country therefore pertain mainly to PCBs, Brominated Flame Retardants, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins and furans amongst others) from uncontrolled combustion processes and the management of sites contaminated by POPs and other toxic substances. The Action Plans of the updated NIP outlines priority areas that require attention for Ghana to realize the objective of the Stockholm Convention of protecting human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of POPs.The areas include the following: information, education and communication strategy to create awareness on POPs; improvement in policy and legal framework; institutional strengthening and capacity building; development of appropriate and environmentally sound technologies, cleaner production and promotion of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP); and development of infrastructure and technical capabilities for analyzing POPs in biota and various environmental media.
The NIP is designed in 3 Chapters and contains 2 Appendixes. In Chapter 1 issues with respect to organic pollutants, human health, and the environment are considered. Chapter 2 outlines provisions for country profile, institutional, policy and regulatory framework, assessment of the POPs issues in Ghana, and implementation status of the Stockholm Convention. Chapter 3 covers the priorities areas of national concern, activities and action plans, development and capacity building proposals and resource requirements.