An alliance of African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has commended the House of Representatives for taking steps to halt the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, the alliance lauded the House for conducting an in-depth investigative hearing aimed at banning GMOs in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House of Representatives had urged the Federal Government to suspend the circulation of GMOs in May 2024.
NAN also reports that the House mandated a joint committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria.
The joint committee conducted a public hearing on November 11, 2024, where experts and scientists expressed concerns about the consumption of GMOs.
GMOs are products of genetic engineering that allow scientists to create plants, animals, and micro-organisms by manipulating genes at the cellular level.
The alliance, led by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), described the legislative move as a response to the will of the people.
Ms. Joyce Brown, Director of Programmes at HOMEF, emphasised that Nigeria did not need GMOs to feed itself.
She argued that GMOs are not natural and that their patent rights are a cause for concern.
Brown urged the Federal Government to invest in agro-ecology, deploy extension workers, and address insecurity to support smallholder farmers.
Other experts, including Dr Segun Adebayo, Deputy Director of Food Safety and Agricultural Research, and Prof. Qrisstuberg Amua, Executive Director of the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, also expressed concerns about the risks associated with GMOs.
They emphasised the need for a National Biosafety Regulatory Agency to protect Nigerian citizens’ interests.
The alliance consists of various CSOs, including Media Awareness and Justice Initiative, WastePlus Environmental Services, and the Visible Charity Global Foundation, among others.
