By Nathan Nwakamma
A coalition of Food Safety Advocacy Groups, on Tuesday applauded the Senate’s stands that Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria’s food chain, be thorough regulated.
This is contained in a statement issued by Ms Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, Health of Mother Earth Foundation.
The groups include GMO-Free Nigeria, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) amongst others
The coalition expressed delight that the Senate was considering a bill to review the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act in the overall interest of protecting food safety and public interests in Nigeria.
In his reaction, Nnimmo Bassey, Director of HOMEF, said “this is a huge milestone towards defending the rights of Nigerian citizens to safe food and environment.
“It is a step in the right direction for consumers and especially for small holder farmers who are directly impacted by GMOs and associated chemicals, and yet have little or no knowledge or choice about the entry of these unnatural varieties into our food system or of their potential risks.”
Bassey added that promoting food safety and security/sovereignty is a mandate that rests not just on the Biosafety Management Agency, but also on the entire public and thus public opinion must be duly considered in decision making processes concerning GMOs.
Bassey added that promoting food safety and security/sovereignty is a mandate that rests not just on the Biosafety Management Agency but also on the entire public.
He explained that public opinion must be duly considered in decision making processes concerning GMOs.
He added that it should never be forgotten that Nigeria shares extensive land borders with other nations and GMOs allowed into Nigeria are invariably being introduced to these neighbouring nations without their knowledge or consent.
Also, the Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the Senate’s move is a bold step.
“We strongly believe that scientific integrity and social responsibility and accountability are not negotiable, and no technology should be exempted from these values,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presenter of the bill, the Senate Leader, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi stressed why the Bill for the Amendment of the National Biosafety Management Act (NBMA) must be supported for more diligent legislation.
This, he said, would Nigeria zero tolerant to any hazardous product as related to GMOs, saying our soils and the good health of Nigerians must be well protected with eco-friendly environment. (NAN)
