Science & Tech
STAKEHOLDERS at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Environment have urged the Senate not to amend the National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA) Act (2015).
They told the committee which sat in Abuja on Wednesday that any attempt to amend the Act would be retrogressive.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General, National Biotechnology Management Agency, told the committee that such amendment was unnecessary and would limit the practice of science in Nigeria.
“Nigeria has enacted deliberate policies that positioned science and technology as the engine to drive the economy.
“Turning around to set up unnecessary roadblocks will limit science from taking the country to its desired destination,’’ he said.
Mustapha charged the Senate to jettison the proposed amendment because the move was anti-people and anti-development.
In another submission, Prof. Mohammed Ishiyaku, Executive Director, Institute for Agricultural Research, said the 2015 Act remained the best protection for proactive modern biotechnology in Nigeria.
He noted that amending the Act would amount to reversing the gains made since the coming of the law in 2015.
According to him, the proposed amendment will tighten the hands of scientists and make the practice of science impracticable in the country.
He stressed that it would also not add any value to the practice of science in Nigeria.
Dr Rufus Ebegba, Director-General of the NBMA said the proposed amendment would kill the desire of scientists to contribute to the socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
He stressed that it would also make Nigeria to become a dumping ground for unauthorised genetically-modified organisms.
Similarly, Prof. Celestine Aguoro of the University of Makurdi said the proposed amendment was targeted at driving indigenous scientists away from Nigeria as it would end up limiting their scope and frustrating their efforts.
Speaking in the same vein, Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, who represented the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture at the hearing, also said the proposal was retrogressive.
He stressed that it would further reverse the progress made in biotechnology in Nigeria.
Mr Kabir Ibrahim, president of All-Farmers Association of Nigeria, said farmers in Nigeria were in support of biotechnology and that any attempt to limit its scope of operations would not be welcome.
Ibrahim added that Nigerian farmers needed technology that would lift them out of poverty and that biotechnology was the only solution.
Dr Andrew Illoh, who represented the Sheda Science and Technology Complex, also addressed members of the committee, urging them to terminate any move to amend the Act.
Mr Vitumbiko Chinoko, Project Manager of African Agricultural Technology Foundation and Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology, also derided the proposed amendment.
He said it should not even be given any consideration.
Chinoko stressed that Nigeria is already established as the leading bio-safety driver in Africa and would lose her position if the Act was amended to limit the scope of researchers. (NAN)
Tags: National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA) Act Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha
