By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has said there is no genetically modified beans or fruits on sale in the Nigerian market.
The Director-General/CEO of the agency, Mr Rufus Ebegba, gave this assurance during a media address on the state of Biosafety in Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Ebegba said: “I want to restate here that the fruits and beans available in the Nigerian market presently are not genetically modified as insinuated rather, they are either hybrids or improved.”
He added that the federal government through NBMA is always poised to protect the health of its citizens and the environment by providing case-by-case analysis of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and risk assessments.
“I have said it before and will say it again, the NBMA is very thorough in its dealings and before any approval is granted, the National Biosafety Committee and the National Biosafety Technical Committee meet to analyse, deliberate on the product which most times span two days and decisions are taken after a careful and thorough analysis of the application.
“The NBMA does not act on its own as these committees comprise experts drawn from sister agencies, line ministries, scientists, non-governmental organisations, farmers and many other expert stakeholders who after their review make their recommendation to the NBMA for further action.
“Globally, safe science and technology have been known to be drivers of economic change world over, Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind. That is why the federal government through NBMA makes sure it approves the only safe application of modern biotechnology for the economic development of the country particularly in the agricultural sector.”
The NBMA chief lamented that a lot of misinformation has been going around, warning that some people have taken it upon themselves to misinform Nigerians and backlash the agency for doing its job and fulfilling its mandate of managing biosafety matters in Nigeria.
He said: “Since the inception of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in 2015, the obvious impact of the Nigerian Biosafety Authority has been felt all over the globe.
“I want to use this medium to assure Nigerians that the federal government through the agency is doing everything possible to ensure that we are all safe. Let me say this categorically that whatever the agency says is safe is indeed safe.
“Nigerians should learn to trust the federal government and allow the agency to do what will be in their best interest. Nigerians need not be afraid as their health and wellbeing are paramount in the mind of the agency as they relate to Biosafety.”
Dipo Olowookere