NBMA: We’re regulating GMOs to protect Nigerians, not expose them
Agnes Asagbra, director-general of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), says the federal government is committed to ensuring that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are safe for Nigerians and the environment.
Her comments come amid growing public concern about the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country.
GMOs, also known as bioengineered organisms, are plants, animals, or microorganisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
This alteration is not achieved through natural mating or recombination.
Speaking on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Asagbra assured viewers that the government is committed to ensuring that GMOs are safe for consumption and the environment.
“The government realises the importance of having modern biotechnology regulated and our mandate is to regulate modern biotechnology, thereby ensuring the safety of the Nigerian populace, the animals, the plant and the environment, and therefore this is of the essence,” she said.
She explained that the NBMA applies strict scientific procedures before approving any genetically modified product.
“Over the years, we have been able to make sure that any GMO that has been approved in Nigeria has undergone rigorous scientific analysis,” she said.
“These are all under the international standard. We have the Cartagena Protocol under the Convention of Biodiversity, and we also have to use the Codex Alimentarius of the WHO (World Health Organisation) standard.
“All these are regulations, all these are standards that have to be made before a GMO can be approved.”
Asagbra also noted that the agency regularly inspects supermarkets to ensure that any genetically modified products on the shelves are properly labelled.
She said the NBMA is working closely with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enforce proper labelling by manufacturers.
