East African countries asked to prioritize chemical weapon trainings

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, labour and social development, James Ebitu has asked East African Community member states to train enough manpower in managing chemical weapons.

While presiding over the closure of a 10 day operational training on chemical emergency response, planning and management at the Uganda rapid deployment capability center-URDCC in Jinja district on Thursday, Ebitu says that, as the EAC region grows into a fast-growing economy with many factories importing and at times manufacturing chemicals for their industrial projects, the local population should be sensitized on various dangers associated with the new developments.

The training facilitated by both the Gender Ministry and the Organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons-OPCW attracted 30 participants from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, and Tanzania respectively.

Ebitu further says that various chemicals should be assessed by responsible authorities so as to assess their reaction to the population.

He adds that chemical trainings are costly as they require a lot of logistics and importation of experienced labour force from the 1st world countries. He urged governments to train TOTs.

Brig. Peter Omolla, the commandant of URDCC said that the trainings on chemical weapons are timely and will address the challenge of terror threats within the region.

Babatunde Olowookere, the programs of OPCW says that, the officers have been equipped with skills in managing toxic chemicals from both terrorism attacks and factories.

Sgt. James Monaghan attached to UK’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and nuclear centre-CBRN tasked the EAC to discourage their population from excessive use of chemicals which can endanger their health.

He, however, pledged UK’s logistical and financial support to all African states willing to undertake trainings on toxic chemical management.

Uganda assented to the chemical weapons convention (CWC) that prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons on 30th, November 2001.

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