GMO: Minister owns up, ask for experts’ help

Chief Audu Ogbeh at the National Farms' Helpline Centre at NAERLS

·        Trial farms is approval to safety

The Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Chief Audu Ogbeh has expressed incapability to defend Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops saying a lot of petitions have come to his office wanting to know the experts position.

The unending trade politics between America and Europe on this new improved technology is giving more skepticism into the acceptance of GMOs especially in Africa continent and other parts of the world that requires of sufficient science explanation and proof.

Chief Ogbeh has humbled himself before scientists and researchers from IAR, NAPRI, NAERLs and DAC of ABU, Zaria by asking for their expert advice on the popular debate on GMO wanting to know whether the country should embrace and adopt the technologies for use in Nigeria adding he had received many petition along this line.

According to the Minister “Let me raise one final issue. The debate on GMO has been greeted with skepticism especially in Europe, it is seen with suspicious and here in Africa. Now between the reality of science and the anxiety of sentiment, you the academicians must tell us which one is safe and which does not safe. 

This is because I received queries and petitions, and I am not a scientist, I am just a farmer. I cannot answer the question they asked. Is GMO safe? Should we suspect it, should we embrace it, should we engage it? Is there a ploy by those who engineer it to take over the seed business worldwide? Does it threat our business activities? I like someday when you are having your retreat conference to please discuss this matter. What do lay man do with GMOs? Should we allow genetically modified crops into this country ether for use or as planting materials? Please help us out. I cannot answer the question because whatever I say will not be driven by scientific knowledge, and I don’t have it. But I am interested in knowing and I am inviting you to help me.

Prof. Candidus Echekwu

Meanwhile Prof. Candidus Echekwu, a scientist expert on cotton and groundnuts has said his committee on National Naming Registration and Release had visited the Bt cotton trail farms across the states in the country pointed the technology has been tested for environmental safety by the appropriate agency.

Speaking to Food Farm News in his office at IAR, Prof. Echekwu said the essence of his committee’s visit was to ascertain that the on farm trails actually took place and that farmers were involved, but he did not want to comment on the outcome of the visit since the process was still on going before nomination.

Talking on the safety of the technology he pointed that the Bio Safety Agency had certified the safety of the material to our ecosystem pointed it was on the basis of this that the on farm trails were allowed for evaluation.

“we are still expecting the nomination of the bt cotton, but it is part of the requirement as a committee to see that the on farm trails actually take place with farmers’ participation. That is the rule before nomination can take place before our National committee for registration and release for commercialization” said Prof. Echekwu.