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From Idu Jude, Abuja
The Director General, National Biosafety Management Agancy NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba, has said that Nigeria will from 2023 start raking foreign exchnage from the exportation of genetically modified products (GMOs) proudly produced in Nigeria.
This he said will be achieved through the certifications from the GMOs regulatory body in Nigeria.
Dr. Ebegba, gave the hint Thursday, in Abuja while giving the agency’s scorecard from 2015 to 2022, with an assertion that the successful GMOs products in Nigeria, have become an economic enabler and means of diversification.
According to the microbiologist, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) was established in 2015 through the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015, and charged with the responsibility of providing regulatory/enforcement framework, institutional and administrative mechanism for safety measures in the application of modern bio-technology in Nigeria with a view to preventing any adverse effect on human health, animals, plants and environment.
He said, that the agency’s regulations and decisions are based on scientific evidence in line with safety and socio-economic considerations, adding that prior to the inception of NBMA, National issues of Biosafety were handled by a Special Biosafety Unit in the Federal Ministry of Environment. Upon coming into force of the NBMA Act, 2015, the Biosafety Unit transformed into the National Biosafety Management Agency still under the Federal Ministry of Environment, with the mandate to carry out regulatory functions.
Commenting on the overall achievement since the establishment of NBMA which he said coincided with the coming to be of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, he said the agency has recorded great milestones, including being properly positioned and mainstreame into the National Administrative Structure. Ebegba said it has also developed a robust capacity building programmes leading to a critical mass of well-trained and vibrant staff.
The agency from 2015 to 2022, has developed biosafety operational and implementing instruments, regulations and Guidelines to ensure effectiveness in the discharge of the agency’s mandate created of a robust synergy among stakeholders for effective regulation of GMOs and their products as well as signing of MoU with relevant regulatory agencies.
The NBMA, he said, has ensured that only safe modern biotechnology activities and GMO products are allowed in Nigeria and to ensure that agencies primary responsibility of a regulatory body is achieved.
