HoR urges NABDA to ensure labelling of GMOs, inline with global practices
By Tom Okpe
The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, has urged the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA, to ensure clear labelling of products of Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs, in line with global practices.
This directive was handed at the House of Representatives Committee, during the ongoing 2024 budget proposals and Defence at the National Assembly on Friday.
Director General of the Agency, Prof Abdullahi Mustapha had in response to a question, attempted to justify GMOs, saying; “if you buy cereal from the United State of America, USA, you are already consuming GMO.”
However, a member of the panel, Rep Awaji-Inombek Abiante insisted on the need for clear labelling of such products for Nigerians to make informed, decision on what they consume.
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“In advanced environment, you have choices but here in Nigeria, we do not label. There is a question mark on Tela Maize so, what we are saying is, you have to do more research before adaptation,” he said.
Earlier, the Director General, Prof Mustapha informed the Committee that the Agency’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year was N5.3 billion, made up of an overhead cost of N834.4 million and a personnel cost of N14.5 million, disclosing that the Agency has a staff strength of about 4,000, spread across its 39 centres, nationwide.
The Committee also received budget submissions from the Trypanosomiasis Ressrach Institute, Project Development Institute, PRODA, National Board for Technology Incubation, NBTI, and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP.
