From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

The Director-General of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Rufus Ebegba, has declared that the agency was not created to stop genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from coming into the country.

Ebegba stated this on Thursday, when he declared open a day sensitization workshop on biosafety in Nigeria, organized by the agency in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He said the agency was only created to ensure that Nigerians and the environment were safe from any potential adverse impact the GMOs might have on human and animal health, as well as that of the environment.

 

He said: “The National Biosafety Management Agency was established by the NBMA Act 2015 to create and implement a regulatory framework for the practice of modern biotechnology and the use of it’s products in Nigeria.

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“Since coming into existence, the NBMA has put in place regulations, guidelines and policies to ensure that the products of modern biotechnology (genetically modified organisms) can be deployed safely in Nigeria.

“The NBMA is charged with the responsibility of providing framework, institutional and administrative mechanism for safety measures in the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria, with a view to preventing its potential adverse effects on human health, animals, plants and the environment.

“The NBMA was not created to stop genetically modified organisms but to ensure that Nigerians and the environment are safe from any potential adverse impact they may have on human and animal health; and the environment.”

In his goodwill message, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Fienemika Emmanuel, said since the coming onboard of NBMA, a lot has been achieved.

Emmanuel, who spoke through the Head, Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Sydney George, said there has been improvement in food safety in the country.