There are Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foods in Nigeria, and even sold in perhaps all the ‘super stores’ in the country. However, those that have been approved among these products are safe for human consumption, at least according to Rufus Ebegba, director general, National Biosafety Management Agency.
Ebegba, whose agency is in charge of regulating GMO foods in Nigeria, said during a recent interactive session with agricultural journalists in Lagos, “the agency is not created to stop GMO, but to make sure they are safe for the environment as well as humans.”
He explained that the law establishing the agency makes it mandatory for all GMO products in Nigeria to be labelled to reflect this. If this is not done and released commercially, it constitutes an offence. Those who release GMO products without approval or even concealed information are liable upon conviction to a jail term of 5 years, N2.5 million fine or both.
According to Ebegba, the fears surrounding GMO food in Nigeria are expected. With every new technology comes myths and fear, he said, stressing that the government will not just permit commodities that are not safe into environment.
As he explained, normal GMOs are not products of chemical manipulations, but normal plants, animals or other organisms that are existing naturally. However, man decided to modify them to suit his own purpose, with the intention to solve specific problems, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Modern biotechnology is a fast growing revolutionary tool in agricultural practice through which crops are genetically engineered to express traits such as herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, drought tolerance, increased nutritional value and other properties. Realizing the fact that modern biotechnology, which is used as a tool for this modification, is a powerful tool, it becomes pertinent to regulate in ensuring safety; for humans and the environment, and this is where bio safety becomes important.
“GMO products are not physically different from Non GMOs,” noted Ebegba. Therefore, laboratory analysis is required to determine this, and the assumptions that certain commodities are GMOs based on their physical appearance, is according to him, a false, inaccurate assessment.
CALEB OJEWALE
