Environmentalists oppose GM maize, cotton, Biosafety Agency pledges to enforce labelling


 A coalition of over 100 environment-focused Non-Governmental Organisations on Wednesday opposed the introduction of Genetically Modified cotton and maize into Nigeria by the Nigeria Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
The coalition made their opinion known in a statement issued by Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation on Wednesday in Yenagoa.
According to them, the approval is a shocking development given the concerns on the safety of the procedure.
``These Nigerians are more than 100 groups comprising farmers, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, students and local farmers seeking to prevent the introduction of Genetically Modified (GM) cotton and maize into Nigeria’s foods and farming system.
``The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has issued two permits, one for the Commercial Release and Placing on Market of genetically modified cotton and the other for the confined field trial of maize, to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited, `` Bassey stated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two permits are on display at the NBMA's website.
They were signed by the Director-General of NBMA, Mr Rufus Ebegba and dated May 1, 2016 and issued to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited.
The first is entitled: ``Permit for Commercial release/Placing on Market of Cotton (MON15985) genetically modified for lepidopteran insect pest resistance `` with Permit No: NBMA/CM/IM/001.1
The second is entitled: ``Permit for Confined Field Trial (CFT) of maize (NK603 and MON 89034 x NK603) genetically modified for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance `` with Permit No: NBMA/C FT/001.[2]
Bassey wondered why officials of NBMA, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and their pro GMO advocates were making frantic efforts to deceive Nigerians by claiming that GMOs are safe.
``They approved the poorly concocted applications and issued these permits on a Sunday when government offices do not open. In fact, May 2 was also a public holiday,`` Bassey observed.
The statement also quoted Mariann Bassey Orovwuje, Food Sovereignty Campaigner, as saying that : ``Several main areas of concern had been identified regarding objections to the release and placement in the market of GM Cotton and confined field trial of Maize in Nigeria.
``There are serious concerns and they include amongst many: health concerns, environmental concerns, socio-economic concerns, technical and administrative concerns, molecular concerns, safety assessments, environment risk assessment.
``Secondary pests and insect resistance and many more concerns have been extensively laid out in our submissions to NBMA objecting to Monsanto’s applications.
``In the objection to Monsanto’s applications MON 15985, Monsanto is using genes referred to as cry2Ab2 and cry1Ac, which produce toxins that have been synthetically manufactured with no history of safe use in nature.
``The insertion of the antibiotic resistant marker gene (ARMG) causes concerns regarding the potential transfer of antibiotic resistance to other living organisms.
``This concern, which is dismissed by the applicant, has been raised by a scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
“This particular ARMG should be restricted to field trial purposes and should not be present in GM plants to be placed on the market.
``Unfortunately, this is what NBMA has released into the Nigerian market, `` they said.
The groups also complained that there was no baseline data regarding the quantity, spread and use of cotton seed meal/cakes/oil used for human or animal consumption in Nigeria.
They, therefore, queried the NBMA`s foundation for the assessment of food and feed safety.
Bassey noted that the NBMA Act of 2015 is gravely defective, because its governing board is filled with GMO promoters such as NABDA and the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria.
``Those GMO promoters are concerned with ensuring the profit of biotech entrepreneurs rather than the health and environmental concerns of Nigerians.
``We are also ashamed that an agency saddled with defending Nigeria’s biodiversity is actively promoting these risky technologies,`` Bassey said.
He said that it was regrettable that NBMA approved Monsanto’s proposal for Bt cotton, despite the fact that Burkina-Faso’s cabinet on April 14 announced its determination to reduce the acreage for genetically modified cotton.
``The reduction starts this season until it’s completely phased out in 2018 and replaced by conventional cotton.
``They (Government of Burkina Faso) reached that decision because GMO cotton yielded shorter fibres and they were thus suffering economic losses, `` he said.
Meanwhile, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has assured Nigerians that Genetically Modified Foods to be sold in markets will be labelled to encourage choice.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Rufus Ebegba gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen in Abuja.
He said that no citizen or farmer would be forced to consume or plant genetically modified crops, noting that it would be a matter of choice.
According to him, no genetically modified organism that is not good for Nigeria will be allowed into this country either from the international arena or
from our institutions, industries or companies that will be producing that.
``I want to assure you that the National Biosafety Management Agency is poised to effectively regulate modern biotechnology for the benefit
of Nigerians and to allay the fears of members of the public and those who wish to consume GMOs. 

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