THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL POLICY ON CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT

WRITTEN BY
OFEM ONEN EGBAI

Research over the years has shown that Chemicals affect the lives of humans because they are essential to food supply and other activities that Make life meaningful. Concerns over chemical safety and management in Nigeria dates back to the 1950’s when the then Colonial British government established the first Poisons and Pharmacists Act 1958. From then on, there had been several other chemical related acts, amendments and decrees relating to chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, industrial chemicals and laboratory reagent. The role of chemicals has become indispensable in many economic activities and the increasing use in industries, the agricultural and consumer goods sectors of the society. The production and use of chemicals are fundamental components of economic activities and development of all countries.
But there are problems associated with chemicals. Such problems include pollution, generated during production processes, improper handling, storage, transport, accidents, diseases and environmental contamination due to improper disposal methods. Nigeria is gradually developing from an agricultural to an industrial society; therefore, there is an urgent need for sound management of chemicals to avoid hazards to humans, animals and the ecosystem. This would ensure sustainable development AS chemicals are a major aspect of modern society. They are used to improve life in various aspects of the society ranging from health care, food production and pest control and as cleaning agents. Although the benefits of chemicals numerous, they are also dangerous to humans and the environment, if not properly handled. The development of a national policy on chemical management is therefore necessary to mitigate chemical induced health hazards such as diseases, deaths, environmental pollution and degradation.

Chemical health-hazard is a prevalent public health concern which should be addressed primarily from the perspective of consumer health protection. At the end of the Civil War in 1970, the rapid development of the commercial and industrial sectors of the economy signalled the need for the Federal Government to assume full responsibility for the protection of consumers from health-risk posed by imported and locally manufactured product by the Food and Drugs Acts of 1974. This law repealed all the Regional Food and Drugs Laws in the country and empowered the federal government to regulate the manufacture, importation, exportation and advertisement as well as sale of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical materials to protect the consumers from their health hazards. Apart from this, there is a long history of international convention, laws and acts on chemicals issues which has resulted in binding conventions and agreement to which Nigeria is a signatory. These include the Rotterdam convention on the procedure to certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade; the Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Montreal Protocol on Substance that deplete the ozone layer, as well as voluntary initiatives such as the Globally Harmonized System for classification and labelling of chemicals. Accordingly, Nigeria attended the Conference of the United Nations on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992, during which “Agenda 21” was adopted. Chapter 19 of “Agenda 21” which focused on environmental Sound management of Toxic Chemicals as it relates to Toxic and Dangerous Products stated the commitment of nations to achieving sound management of chemicals. As a result, an Inter-governmental Forum on Chemicals Safety, IFCS was established. It was followed in 1995 by the constitution of a programme for the sound management of chemicals, involving international organizations such as FAO, UNIDO, WHO, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment. As a result, several international policy instruments, conventions and agreements have been developed. Nigeria therefore took informed decisions to ratify and enter into these conventions.

It is however worrisome that many of them have not been implemented in Nigeria. It should however be noted that the development of a sound policy in this regard will go a long way in achieving effective management of chemicals in line with global trends. Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind as efficient management of chemicals holds a lot of potential for the nation.


Source: recorded live from FRCN daily comentary