CSOs seek review of biosafety law

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for a review of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act.

According to them, there are loopholes in the Act that results in poor regulation of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).

They urged the government to ensure that ethical principles are always applied to every class of scientific experiments and research where biosafety risks threaten public health.

Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, speaking at a forum on GMOs and Biosafety, said the unrelenting push for the adoption of genetic engineering in crop breeding and animal production has heightened biosafety concerns with regards to human, animal and environmental health.

“An analysis of the use of GMOs as well the legislation guiding their use in Nigeria reveals the profusion of GMOs, including seeds and processed foods in the country, despite concerns raised by the public.

“These products, including staple foods and commonly consumed cereals, vegetable oils, noodles, biscuits, are seeping through the porous hands of the regulatory agency – the NBMA,” said Bassey.

Giving highlights of a market survey conducted by HOMEF between 2018 and 2020, Bassey said 30 different products containing genetically modified ingredients and produced with genetic engineering were identified.

“The question of who is checking the importation of these processed foods with genetically modified ingredients is left unanswered,” he said.

Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said farmers, CSOs and consumers were deeply concerned because of the loopholes in the NBMA Act, which was established to safeguard the health of the people and the environment with regards to GMOs.

The gaps, Akinbode said, include lack of provision for adequate stakeholders engagement or consultation; defective provision for liability and redress; twisted provisions for appeals and redress, among others.

“These loopholes create room for abuse of administrative powers and make allowance for injustice against the people and the environment,” said Akinbode.