![]() |
Amina Mohammed |
(Being Text Of News Conference By The Alliance Of CSOs For
Effective Biosafety For The Development Of Modern Biotechnology In Nigeria Held
In Abuja On Thursday, December 22, 2016, Read By Edel-Quinn Agbaegbu, Member Of
The Coordinating Committee For This Conference)
Gentle
men/women of the media,
Representatives
of Civil Society Organizations and Associations in Nigeria,
Fellow
Nigerians.
It is with deep pleasure that I stand here to address you all this afternoon, on behalf of Every Woman Hope
Centre, Centre for Environmental Education and Development, Partnership for
Rural Women Development, Jomurata Community
Care Initiative and African Greens Revolution among others, an alliance to
ensure an effective biosafety in the application of modern biotechnology for
protection of human health, secured biodiversity, food security and
socio-economic development in Nigeria. It is in furtherance of these noble
objectives that we called you all to
alert you about a strange development, bordering on gross misinformation which
was reported as having been dished out to the public by way of
Press Release from a group called Global Prolife Alliance(GPA).
In their press release, the content of which our group has
read, the Global Prolife Alliance (GPA) criticized the recent appointment of
Amina J. Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister for Environment, as the United Nations
(UN) Deputy Secretary General. The GPA alleged that the appointment of Amina Mohammed
was a payback for the introduction of GMO Foods in Nigeria. The statement is
unpatriotic and malicious on the personality of Amina J. Mohammed, the Minister
of Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It
is a global Knowledge that she was already in the UN system before this latest
ministerial appointment. On June 7, 2012, Amina Mohammed was appointed as a
Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning by the UN Secretary General,
Ban Ki-Moon. Notable references on Amina Mohammed Curriculum Vitae include; Ban
Ki-Moon, Professor Jerry Sachs and Former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
It
should be noted that Nigeria is not a pariah nation but a responsible and respected
member of the global community and Nigerians irrespective of gender are
qualified and entitled to work at all levels in any national or international
body. Therefore, to lay a claim that the appointment of Amina Mohammed is for
the purpose of reward is untenable.
We expect the GPA and its principal promoter, Dr.Phillip
Njemnaze to retract their statement, which we believe was made in error and
promptly apologize to Amina J. Mohammed, Nigerians and the United Nations for
propagating falsehood on issues about the role of modern biotechnology in
agriculture for sustainable development in Nigeria and the alleged role played
by the Honorable Minister of Environment in the perceived introduction of the
scientific breakthrough in Nigeria. It is science that rules the world and
Nigeria cannot afford to be isolated from the trend. Oppositions and informed
criticisms are good for checks and balances but should not clog the wheels of
progress.
GPA twisted verifiable fact on the matter when they stated, among others, that two
permits issued some months ago by the
National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, wholly amounted to a forced introduction of
GMO crops into Nigeria. This is not correct as the authorization by NBMA in the
permits was in line with the standard regulatory practice and process as
provided by the Cartegena Protocol for the commercial release biotechnological
products. There is a constitutional requirement of the Federal Government of
Nigeria to protect the public health and the biodiversity through the
activities of NBMA. We rather recommend collaboration with the duly approved
agency mandated to achieve this global biodiversity conservative targets
through its most effective administration and qualified scientists and
researchers.
GPA was criticizing and making much ado about the wisdom
which the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Environment, exhibited in
allowing Nigeria to embark on Confined Field Trials which is a globally acceptable
scientific practice. NBMA and the parent ministry went into it on a cautious
note. We should encourage them to conclude the process. If the experiment is
good, Nigeria will say goodbye to hunger.
The recent press release by Dr Njemanze and his GPA clearly
shows that they are behind the rest of the world. Rather that joining others to
appreciate science and what it hold for the future of food security in Nigeria,
the critics of GMO crops are now turning out to be alarmists by alleging that GMO crops are poison and that they
pose threat to food security and
national security too.
Dr. Njemanze is a lone voice. Let me draw your attention to
how the Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS), the bigger authority and indeed,
voice of science in the Nigeria has messed up the position of Dr Njemanze and
his GPA on the status of GMO foods at present. During a media roundtable on
GMOs in Nigeria, on November 16, 2016, at its office in Lagos, the NAS stated
unequivocally that the country is ready for GMO products and that they are safe
for both production and beneficial to the nation, based on carefully-documented
evidence from developed countries.
The academy noted that
the technology, though new with expected fears and concerns, would be useful to
the country because of its potential to boost the nation’s agriculture, which
would resolve food insecurity. The outgoing president of NAS, Prof. Oyewale Tomori,
said though the technology seems fresh, but nothing is new with it, as the
academy, in accordance with its mandate, has examined available evidence from
researches in advanced countries. Tomori, who noted that there were no
forecasts of long-term effect, stressed: “We cannot predict the future and what
is going to happen with these GMOs, but so far so good, there are no problems
from where they have been used; but that does not mean that it is going to be
good forever. We must be on the alert to know when changes are coming up.”
Another speaker, a
professor of plant breeding and crop biotechnology with the Department of
Genetic and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Effiom Ene-Obong, said there
were no scientific evidence that agree with the raised health concerns of GMOs
worldwide, “as they are safe for both production and consumption.” He noted
that “though genetically modified foods are not commercially produced in
Nigeria yet, three quarters of countries in the world are keyed into them and
as a new technology, fears being entertained are expected, but rather, the
benefits outweigh the worries”.
Ene-Obong added:
“Before these products are sent into the market, lots of trials and
investigations are done by so many agencies, such as the Academy of Sciences
Worldwide, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO), World Health Organisation (WHO), to monitor and make sure they are
safe for human consumption and they have recommended". We Stand with NAS on this subject.
The world is moving but Njemanze and his group wants us to
remain static. He is like some who still stick for witchcraft instead of
embracing science. If Nigeria was to
follow his line of thought, we may, perhaps be killing twins till date. He
claims that GMOs are poisonous and a threat to Nigeria.
Finally, a word on the suitability of Amina Mohammed for the
UN job. More Nigerians should stand up to thank the UN for identifying yet,
another good person from Nigeria. It should also be a new testament that Buhari
is listening. More qualified women in Nigeria should stand up to be counted.
And this shows that Dr. Njemanze and his group did not know what they are saying.
She is a star in the international firmament .We stand in support of the
Minister of environment for the UN job. She is great woman who does great
things. She has been excellent in the discharge of her duties before. She will
do it again for Nigeria and humanity.
I welcome you all once again to this press conference and I
hope that conference will offer us opportunity to reflect deeply in our hearts
on our desire for a holistic biosafety regulations in mainstreaming modern
biotechnology in Nigeria.
Thank You.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please restrict your comment to the subject matter.