Ghana ratifies Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Ghana has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) has said in a press release issued June 15, 2011.
The Treaty bans all nuclear explosions.
The CTBTO, based in Vienna, Austria, says Ghana becomes the 154th state to ratify the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty.
“The Republic of Ghana has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), bringing the total number of Treaty ratifications to 154”, the CTBTO stated.
This is after Ghana had signed the CTBT on October 3, 1996 and the Treaty of Pelindaba, which has established a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa, on April 11, 1996, the release indicates.
In February 2010, the CTBTO said Ghana commissioned its CTBT National Data Centre so that it can support international efforts to monitor nuclear weapons testing more effectively.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO, Tibor Tóth, this important and timely step highlights the importance of the CTBT for global, regional and national security.
“Following the entry into force of the Pelindaba Treaty last year, Ghana’s ratification of the CTBT further solidifies the resolve of African nations to forever rid the continent and the world of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon testing”, Tibor Tóth said.
He added “I salute the government of Ghana for taking this step and believe it will inspire other non-ratifying States to hasten their own ratification processes.”
Up to date 182 countries have signed the Treaty but in Africa, Mauritius and Somalia are the only two countries yet to sign the Treaty whiles 12 countries are yet to ratify.
These 12 countries are Angola, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Republic of), Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and the Gambia.
The rest are Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
According to the organization, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States of America remain other counties that are yet to ratify the treaty.
Three nuclear weapon states that is, France, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom have ratified the Treaty, the release said.
To monitor compliance with the Treaty, CTBTO says a verification regime is being built and by the time the Treaty enters into force, 337 facilities will monitor the oceans, underground and the atmosphere for any sign of nuclear explosion.
The organization said 264 facilities have been certified to date and are sending data on a continuous basis to the CTBTO’s International Data Centre in Vienna.
By Ekow Quandzie