The Director General of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr Rufus Ebegba has said no genetically modified (GM) beans or fruits is on sale in Nigerian market.
He stated this when he addressed newsmen media on the state of Biosafety in Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.
“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.”
According Ebegba, 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 analyze, deliberate on the product which most times spans for two days and decisions are taken after careful and thorough analysis of the application.
“The NBMA does not act on its own as these committees comprise of 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 only safe application of modern biotechnology for the economic development of the country particularly in the agricultural sector,” the DG stated.
He however lamented that misinformation has been going round the public, especially in the media space.
“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.
“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,”Ebegba added.
The DG educated that gene edited products are not GMOs.
“While gene editing and modern biotechnology are both genetic engineering tools, it will be out of ignorance to say all gene edited products are GMOs. A product can be termed GMO only if it contains a transgene. However, gene editing does not in all cases require introduction of new gene into the genome of an organism. It could be deletion or suppression of a gene,” he stated.
Ebegba said the agency was doing its best to ensure that Nigerians were safe.
“I want to use this medium to assure Nigerians that 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 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.”
He also called on the media to ensure it always disseminate credible information.
“I wish to appeal to the media not to serve as media of dissemination of falsehood and creating panic. We are aware of the malicious intention of a particular NGO to poison the minds of the members of the public on the application of safe modern biotechnology and the attempt to discredit the NBMA. The Agency has a responsibility towards the safety of Nigerians, the environment, the realization of government objectives in the diversification of the Nigerian economy towards the actualization of green economy and the economic prosperity of Nigerians.
“The media have been major partners of the NBMA since inception and the agency appreciates the work you are doing to ensure that our activities do not go unnoticed,” he further stated.
