Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Government has reiterated its commitment to helping address the humanitarian impact of improvised anti-personnel mines.
It believes the scourge of landmines and explosive remnants of war has had devastating effects on humanity and, thus, urged all states that were signatories to the Anti-Personnel Mine Convention to strive towards its ratification.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day Regional Conference on Addressing the Humanitarian Impact of Improvised Anti-Personnel Mines within the Framework of the Convention in Accra yesterday, Vice President Bawumia, therefore, reiterated government’s unflinching support and commitment to promoting a world free from the scourge of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
He said it was imperative to confront the menace of improvised anti-personnel mines with unwavering determination and collective efforts.
The conference serves as a platform to dialogue, collaborate and exchange best practices and proffer innovative solutions to addressing the challenges posed by improvised anti-personnel mines globally.
It is being organised by the Government of Ghana, through the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the European Union and the Anti-Personnel Mine Convention Implementation Support Unit.
There were more than 100 delegates from the 15-Member States of ECOWAS, the Sahel Region and the European Union.
Dr. Bawumia called for a united effort by all stakeholders under a common goal to confront and mitigate the devastating humanitarian consequences caused by improvised anti-personnel mines.
“This conference serves as a vital platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action. We come together with a shared commitment to safeguarding human lives, protecting communities, and advancing peace and stability in our regions.
“It is imperative that we confront the menace of improvised anti-personnel mines with unwavering determination and collective effort,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
The Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction, also known as the “Mine Ban Treaty”, seeks an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines through the pursuit of four core goals.
The goals include ensuring universal adherence, clearing mined areas, destroying stockpiled mines, and assisting the victims.
It also intended to achieve national legislation, cooperation and assistance, transparency and exchange of information, facilitating compliance, and implementation support.
The Convention has 164 States Parties, including Ghana.
According to Minesweepers, it is estimated that there are about 110 million landmines scattered across the globe.
The individual cost for removing mines ranged from $3 to $30, while the expense of their removal varies significantly, ranging from $300 to $1000 per mine, the report said.
Considering those figures, it said the total expenditure for clearing all existing mines is projected to range from a substantial $50 billion to $100 billion.
Meanwhile, the Landmine Monitor (2022) report indicates that States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty have destroyed more than 55 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines.
That, it said, underscored the significant financial commitment made by both states and international organisations worldwide towards the effective implementation of the Convention.
The Landmine Monitor also reported that in 2022, at least 4,710 individuals were killed or injured by landmines or Explosive Remnants of War (ERWs) in 49 states.
Among them, 1,661 lost their lives, 3,015 sustained injuries, while the status of 34 remains unknown.
It said civilian casualties constituted 85% of the total, with nearly half of the civilian victims being children (49%), amounting to a total of 1,071.
The Vice President noted that those insidious weapons indiscriminately maimed and killed innocent men, women, and children, inflicting lasting physical and psychological harm.
“They disrupt livelihoods, impede socio-economic development, and hinder efforts to achieve sustainable peace and security,” he added.
“Ghana recognises the urgent need for concerted action to address the humanitarian impact of improvised anti-personnel mines.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting a world free from the scourge of landmines and explosive remnants of war,” he stated.
“Compliance with these legal instruments is essential to preventing further human suffering and fostering a safer, more secure world for all.
“I, therefore, urge all States that are not Parties to the Convention to strive towards the ratification of the Convention,” the Vice President stressed.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent