Experts crave awareness on adoption of biotechnology

Biotechnology development experts have urged for more sensitisation on the benefits of adopting modern biotechnology to boost economic productivity in Nigeria.
Also, the experts who gathered in Abuja, for a 3-day training workshop aimed at strengthening the regulatory capacity of Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) to enforce biotechnology practices, advocated the need to continuously train scientists on how to deploy and sustain the potentials of this new technology.

Addressing the participants at the workshop, Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, emphasise the importance of sensitising regulators on the implementation of biotechnology, particularly as efforts towards ensuring the approval of a biosafety law near conclusion.
Represented by the Head of the Biosafety Office, Alhaji Raheef Usman, the minister said Nigeria has ensured all necessary measures to guarantee the safe adoption of biotechnology as required by global standard.
“Nigeria has both capital and human resources to engage itself in the practice of modern biotechnology, Mrs. Mallam said “We have join the moving train.”

She applauded the potentials of biotechnology in transforming livelihoods, describing most of the apprehensions raised on the environmental impact of biotechnology on the usual phobia associated with the introduction of every new technology.
In her remarks, the Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Lucy Ogbadu reiterated her agency’s commitment towards ensuring the establishment of a biosafety regime to superintend over the practices of biotechnology across the country.
This is to show you that we have no fear about the technology,” she said. “We are going to practice biotechnology in a very responsible manner, otherwise we will not be encouraging the establishment of a regulatory framework.”
She charged the African Union to show more financial support to facilitate the rapid adoption and implementation of modern biotechnology activities across Africa.