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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Just as some unpatriotic and unscrupulous Nigerians try to bastardise any good thing by introducing fake versions of it into the market, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) now has to contend with importers of unapproved GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) foods.
The NBMA is one of the newest agencies of the Federal Government, which was established in 2015 to regulate the application of modern biotechnology in Nigeria.
In this interview, the Director General of NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, spoke about the work of the agency, which is meant is to prevent any adverse effect on human health, animals, plants and the environment. Excerpt:
Why did it become necessary to establish the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA)?
The agency was established in 2015 with the objective of ensuring the safe application of modern biotechnology and use of genetically modified organisms which are products of genetic engineering to ensure that these products and the activities of modern biotechnology do not have any negative impact on human health, for instance, become toxins or cause allergy. Also, regarding the environment, there is that impression that genetically modified organisms have some negative consequences on the environment. In essence, you don’t want to create super organisms that could become invasive and more dominant over and above other related species. We also look at it from the point of socioeconomic concerns. All genetically modified organisms must have economic value. They must not have negative economic value and they must not have negative consequences in our cultural norms and values. So, safety to the environment, human health and ensuring socioeconomic compatibility are the major things.
Why are you not at the ports and borders like SON and NAFDAC?
The truth is that there are so many agencies at the borders. We believe and the Federal Government also believes in the collaboration and synergy of relevant organisations. In view of that, we have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Quarantine Service (NQS). We also signed MoU with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and some other bodies. Even with the Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria. Realising the fact that all of us cannot be at the border for now, I still believe that with time when the activities in that sector become prominent we may have to be at the border. Another thing is that genetically modified organisms include those that can be produced within the country and those that are imported. And there are severe consequences for anyone that brings in genetically modified organisms into the Nigerian environment without the agency’s approval. The principal officers of such organisations can go to jail for five years or pay a fine of N2.5 million and the corporate organisations will be fined N5 million and the directors can also go to jail.
So, how do you enforce the regulations?
Within the agency we have the Department of Environmental Enforcement and Operations. We also have intelligence units for intelligence gathering and investigation of some certain things that we suspect. So, these departments are also working. Through them we have been able to get some reports which have been able to address the emerging challenges in that area.
How many people have you prosecuted?
One thing is that this sector is not vibrant yet as genetically modified products have not yet come into the Nigerian environment at a commercial level apart from the ones that have been imported – mainly grains in the form of maize and soya beans for feed production and vegetable oil. Apart from that, the sector has not yet become vibrant. The only case that was near prosecution was the importation of GMO maize without the biosafety approval. Luckily the products had not been evacuated when learnt about it and so we repatriated the ship and the content. We did not bother to go for prosecution because the consignment did not enter the country. We looked at the cost effectiveness: the cost of the evacuation of the products, transportation and even the destruction has some environmental impact. If you are to burn them it will have some environmental impact and even in the course of transportation, there may be inadvertent release of those products into the environment. We looked at all those things and also the cost of prosecution, and decided to take the easiest option by allowing the product to be repatriated. That was the nearest we came to prosecution. So far, we have not had any case of a breach.
What did you do to the country where the product came from?
There is an international treaty for the global movement of genetically modified organisms to ensure that the products are safe before they leave their country of export. In that agreement Nigeria is a major player. Incidentally, the NBMA is the focal point on behalf of Nigerian government. There is an annual gathering called Conference of Parties which serves as a meeting of the parties to the treaty. But because of COVID-19 it was not held last year. Under that convention there is what we call biosafety clearing house. It is a website where information about GMO biotechnology and the impact on the environment and other issues are discussed. Information is uploaded there for countries to see what is going on. So, if there are breaches those things are posted there for members who are signatories to the treaty to know what is going on. And so, within that agreement there is also a compliance committee to ensure that all members comply. And another thing is that individuals who are importing the products are liable and not countries as such. But the countries will ensure that they do their internal processes to ensure that necessary approvals are granted within the country. And if anybody brings those things into the country without approval, such a person is liable for his actions.
How will other agencies know GMO products? Are they trained to do so?
GMOs are not things you recognise on the face value. Any approval we get we send a copy of the approval for them to be aware. Once there is an importation of maize, soya beans and all those things that are genetically modified we are alerted to take specimen of all those products for analysis. If it is confirmed we take the necessary action. All bulk shipments of grains are suspects and must be subjected to biosafety analysis.
How safe are GMO foods?
There have been a lot of speculations about genetically modified foods or organisms. So far, all the GMOs that have been released all over the world have not been confirmed to have any harmful effect and I can tell you authoritatively that the ones we have obtained approval for are safe. And that is the only thing I can tell you but the essence of biosafety is to ensure safety.
There are fears that people that took GMO foods died. What is your take?
Have they shown you anybody that died? There is also a trade war going on between agrochemical companies and biotechnology companies. Right now, there are crops that are insect resistant and pest resistant and disease resistant. They have been engineered to confer such abilities in those crops which means that farmers will not need chemicals to control those diseases or pests, which means that the agrochemical manufacturers will be out of business. So, sometimes there is that suspicion that they are the ones giving information to those people who parade themselves as activists. Activism is not a job. They don’t even come to the agency to find out what we are doing here. They just sit down and start writing things that Nigeria does not have the capacity to ensure safety. Well, they should not use their business as a means of spreading falsehood.
Does the agency engage in public education?
We are doing a lot of public awareness. But then, Nigeria is a large country. But creating awareness without funding is not going to be easy. So, we are doing the best we can. We have the annual biosafety conference but because of COVID-19 we were not able to do that last year and this year. We also have a quarterly chat with the media.
How much support do you give to farmers?
What we do is to regulate and ensure it is safe. We don’t even promote the technology neither do we go against it. But because government is embracing it we have to guide government agencies and the public so that the products are safe. That’s what we do. It is not our responsibility to start hawking GMO foods. We don’t do that. We ensure that they are safe. There are promoters of GMO foods. There are extension farmers who will convince the farmers whether these products are good or not. Ours is to tell the farmers that these products are good. All the things we find in this world have been altered from the way they were created by God. So, if people think that they will be able to do things the way their forefathers did those things, the world we are in today will not be able to sustain itself. Your great grandfathers were naked. Do you want to be naked?
As it is now, do we have GMO beans or rice in the market?
Yes. We have granted approval for genetically modified species of beans which are insect resistant and we are telling Nigerians that the GMO species of beans are safe to eat.
