‘Advanced tech brings about GMO’

The federal government’s agencies in charge of biotechnology and biosafety have said genetically modified foods are as a result of new technology in food production, and they are safe for consumption. The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) both said Nigerians have nothing to fear about GM organisms as they […]

The federal government’s agencies in charge of biotechnology and biosafety have said genetically modified foods are as a result of new technology in food production, and they are safe for consumption.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) both said Nigerians have nothing to fear about GM organisms as they are “very safe and would help Nigerians in solving its food shortage”.
Speaking at a media parley jointly addressed by NABDA and NBMA’s Director Generals and the coordinator of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB,Nigeria chapter) in Abuja, NBMA DG, Sir Rufus Ebegba said adopting GMO is in the interest of Nigeria.
“By adopting this new technology, we will boost our food production and even export outside the shore of the country. This will help in diversifying our economy as our reliance on revenue from oil export will be reduced”, he said.
Though he said the government has yet to approve the sale of GM foods in the market, “Nigerians might have been consuming it already because some of the foods being imported into the country could be GM.”
On her part, the NABDA DG Prof Lucy Ogbadu chided those campaigning against GM foods, saying they are only fighting to protect their business interest.
She said benefits of GM foods far outweigh the ‘harm’ people claim is in them.
OFAB coordinator, Dr Rose Gidado, called on the media to help counter negative publications being put out by anti GM campaigners.