Lagos — An inter-governmental organisation, the Global Partnership for Chemical Safety Forum, has honoured a Nigerian scientist, Mrs. Abiola Olanipekun, for her contributions to chemical safety.

Olanipekun, a Chief Environmental Scientist in the Federal Ministry of Environment, received the special recognition award for 2008 from the organisation at its 6th session "forum" in Dakar, a release issued from the organisation's secretariat in Geneva stated.

"The award acknowledges with admiration and gratitude your work and leadership in the African region in many of the most important international chemicals management negotiations and processes of the last decade," the release stated.

Olanipekun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that the award was an acknowledgement of Nigeria's leadership role on chemical safety in Africa.

"Nigeria has contributed immensely to most of the important international chemical management negotiations and processes held in the African region in the last decade.

"The award is not for me but for the Federal Government for its effort at championing the cause of chemical safety in Africa," she said.

Olanipekun described the award as "significant and historical", saying that no country on the continent had been so honoured before.

Olanipekun urged the Federal Government to place the issue of chemical safety on the nation's development plan in order to sensitise the public on the dangers of the wrong use of chemicals.

"Government should come up with a legislative framework on chemical safety."It should also look closely at the issue of chemicals because it cuts across allsectors not only the environment," she added.