From Igba Kuza, Lafia

The, Director General of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, has said the agency is working to provide regulatory framework and administrative mechanism for the safety of human health, animals plants and environment.

Ebegba made this known during a one day sensitization workshop on Biosafety Genetically Modified Organism’s Safety and Regulation at De 1st Crown Luxury Hotel Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.

According to him, the agency has put in place regulations, guidelines and policies to ensure the products of modern biotechnology genetically modified Organisms can be deployed safely in Nigeria.

He explained that the responsibility of providing regulatory framework and institutional measures, of NBMA has evolved several ways of ensuring the safety of Nigerians, adding that the agency was not created to stop genetically modified Organisms, but to ensure that Nigerians and the environment are safe from adverse impact on human health and the environment.

“This workshop is aimed at sensitizing Nigerians on the state of Biosafety in Nigeria with regards to genetically modified Organisms and their safety, while updating the general public on the activities of the Federal government in the area of biosafety management in the Country,

“Globally, safe science and technology have been known to be drivers of economic change, Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind and that is why the federal government through NBMA makes sure it approved only safe application of modern biotechnology for the economic development of the country particularly in the agricultural sector,” Ebegba said.

While disclosing that the agency has developed Gene editing guidelines, which has been validated by stakeholders, the DG maintained that the guidelines will ensured the proper regulation of Gene edited products.

“Our biosafety system therefore ensures safety of the application of modern biotechnology to human health. The agency has a responsibility towards the safety of Nigerians”.

As part of efforts to expand its relationship with  other sister organizations for smooth runing of the agency, the DG explained that the body has signed various MOU with some sister agencies such as Standard Organization of Nigeria SON, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services NAQS, Nigerian Custom Service, amongst others

Experts and participants  in their various presentation  were unanimous in the benefit of the GMO and urged Nigerians to embrace GMO products.