Minister of Environment Surveyor Suleiman Hassan Zarma has said that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has delivered on its targets in line with its mandate of ensuring that modern biotechnology practices and its products are well used and deployed safely in Nigeria.
The minister said this at the opening meeting of experts of Biosafety for the validation of the Preliminary Draft Regulations on Biosafety in West Africa, which was held on Tuesday at the ECOWAS office, Abuja.
Zarma said foremost amongst these delivered targets includes laying of an effective administrative and institutional background for modern biotechnology regulation in Nigeria; enhanced capacity building of staff and relevant stakeholders; communication and sensitization of Nigerians and stakeholders on the modern biotechnology regulatory activities; establishment of various national and international partnerships for effective regulation, establishment of a top class regional GM Detection and Analysis Laboratory. Others are accreditation of institutes to practice modern biotechnology, granting of biosafety permits, proper positioning and mainstreaming of biosafety into the National Administrative Structures; development of operational instruments for effective implementation of biosafety and the ease of doing business within related sectors among others.
Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency, Dr Rufus Ebegba, who chaired the technical session, said West Africa is setting the pace on matters of Biosafety as this regulation document is a new initiative that other African countries will in time copy from.
Representative of West Africa Monetary Union, Mrs Zurafa Lumpo, said this regulation when implemented will mean a crucial step to ensuring that Africa becomes more viable to the economic benefits of modern biotechnology.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources of ECOWAS Commission, Sekou Sangare and Director General Sahel Institute Dr Mohammed Abdullahi where among the 45 dignitaries that are participating in the 4-day review meeting.
