The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye has charged staff of the Ministry, it’s Agencies and all stakeholders in innovation, science and technology to equip themselves with knowledge and be well informed as custodians of knowledge and channels of accurate information to the wider society.
Mrs. Esubana made this statement at the 2-day sensitization workshop on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) organized by the Ministry in collaboration with it’s Agency- the National Biotechnology Research Development Agency ( NABRDA) today, in Abuja.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the sensitization workshop is aimed at equipping the staff with accurate knowledge, correct misconceptions that have arisen from misinformation, provide clarity on what GMOs are and what they are not and also highlight the benefits and risks associated with GMOs so as to make informed contributions to national discourse.
She pointed out that for a developing country like Nigeria, grappling with the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, population growth it is crucial for the nation to embrace innovation that can help guarantee sustainable food production and reduction in cost of food items to the barest minimum.
Esuabana urged the participants to be open minded, engage actively, ask questions and seek clarification so that at the end we will all have a deeper appreciation of GMOs as well as become ambassadors of accurate knowledge within and outside the service.
In a goodwill message, the Director-General National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Barrister Bello Bwari said that for scientific discoveries to become authentic, it goes through processes of validation and revalidation to ensure that it is safe for human consumption and the environment.
He further said that because of the importance of GMOs around the world, the federal government in its wisdom established agencies like NBMA to verify the products if it’s safe for human consumption and the environment.
Earlier the Director-General National Biotechnology Research Development Agency (NBRDA) Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, said that the Agency is committed to advancing biotechnology in ways that are save, transparent, and socially beneficial by harnessing sound science so that innovation can serve the people, sustain the environment, and accelerate national development goals.
He added that the workshop presents a timely platform to explore the science, regulatory frame work, scientific innovation in agricultural biotechnology, the measurable benefits of greater resilience to pests and drought, reduce reliance on chemicals, pesticide, improve nutrition quality, higher yields as well as real-world experiences of farmers and communities in Nigeria who are pioneering the cultivation of genetically modify crops.
Signed
Pauline Sule (Mrs.)anipr
Head (Press & PRU)
