ALLIANCE OF CSOS MAKE CASE FOR GMOS IN NIGERIA

The alliance for civil society organizations for effective Biosafety for the development for modern biotechnology in Nigeria, has called on the minister of agriculture Audu Ogbe, to familiarize himself more with the position of the food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on GMOs. 

The group made this position, while reacting to a statement attributed to the minister on December 18, 2016 where the minster said that Nigeria would not embrace GMO seeds.

Member of the coordinating committee for the alliance, EDEL-QUINN AGBAEGBU said the
minister should be proactive to save Nigeria from the eminent hunger that is threatening the African continent, going by the current drought that is ravaging Somalia, Kenya and many other countries in the horn of Africa.

The alliance condemned the statement saying “it clearly indicated that the minister has joined the league of anti-GMOs, in contrast to his original position and to the view of apparently majority of enlighten personalities and interest groups, represented in Nigeria by the Nigeria academy of science and internationally by 110 Nobel Laureates who spoke out late last year, supporting Presition agriculture”.

“It is important to note that chief Ogbe’s view is tantamount to a policy summersault and a contradiction of an earlier view from his office”, the group said.
The group said there is need for advocacy and to inform Nigerians of the right position, scientific facts and for informed decisions and policies adding that there is need for clarity on the issue.

Speaking anonymously, a top government official noted that the minister does not understand the issues at hand urging the minister to seek advise from the over 15 research institutes in the country and professionals on the issue of GMOs. “The minister is obviously misguided and does not know that hybrid seeds are product of biotechnology”. 

It would be recalled that on the 18th of December 2016 during a town hall meeting, the Minister of agriculture Audu Ogbe was quoted as saying that the federal government of Nigeria was still apprehensive of Genetically  modified organisms (GMOs) and that he is personally and officially opposed to GMOs.