Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Radiation Protection Convention, 1960 (No. 115) - Ghana (Ratification: 1961)

1. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its most recent report including replies to the Committee’s previous comments. It requests the Government to provide the following additional information.

2. The application of all Articles of the Convention. With reference to the Government’s report submitted in 2006, the Committee had noted that the Government indicated that the radiation protection and safety guides were nonbinding documents. The Committee notes, however, that in this year’s report the Government seems to indicate that these guides would be legally binding and adopted with a view to ensuring the application of the Convention. In terms of relevant legislation, the Committee also notes that the Government indicated that Act No. 204 of 1963 would have been abrogated by the Atomic Energy Act No. 588 of 2000. As the Government has not provided the Committee with a copy of this recent Act, it has not been in a position to verify whether the Regulation No. 1559 of 1993, regulating, inter alia, the control and use of sources of ionizing radiation and exposure of persons to ionizing radiation, adopted in implementation of the abrogated Act, would still be in force or not. The Committee also notes that the Government indicates that according to the new Labour Code of 2003 the Ministry of Labour would be entitled to adopt regulations providing for specific measures to be taken by employers to safeguard the health and safety of workers employed by them, but that this has not yet been done. In view of the foregoing, and with reference to the general observation of 1992 on the application of this Convention, the Committee requests the Government to take all relevant measures to ensure the full application of this Convention, in law and in practice. The Government is also requested to clarify the legal status of the radiation protection and safety guides and whether Regulation No. 1559 of 1993 is still in force. The Government is invited to take due account of the recommendations concerning maximum dose limits for exposure to ionizing radiation adopted in 1990 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and is finally requested to submit copies of  all relevant legislative texts to the Committee.

3. Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee requests the Government to give a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in the country, supplying, for example, statistical information on the number of workers covered by the measures giving effect to the Convention, extracts from reports of the inspection services and information concerning the number and nature of contraventions reported and the action taken on them, etc.