NASS, minister tasked on GMO safety

Members of the National Assembly and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, have been urged to engage in thorough scientific and evidence-based researches in certified laboratories to check the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods in the country.

A brand manager and ambassador for the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Micheal Nwabufo, made the appeal when he appeared before the House of Representatives over a video production on the danger of GMO foods.

He urged the National Assembly to act decisively to protect Nigerians and preserve the nation’s sovereignty.

“I stand here today as a patriot and a servant of the people, committed to building a healthier and more self-reliant Nigeria. I believe in the resilience of this National Assembly to make decisions that prioritise the welfare of Nigerians. I am glad that the House of Representatives are standing by us to kick against GMO foods,” Nwabufo said.

He urged Kyari to rescind his support for GMO foods in the country, noting that the minister cannot take decision of such magnitude that bothers on Nigerians wellbeing without recourse to the people and their representatives in the parliaments.

According to him, some farmers have been brainwashed in Nigeria about GMO seeds, he said such people and farmers in their defense of GMO seeds, were saying: “It is better to eat GMO foods and die than not to see food to eat.”

Nwabufo said that a lot of Nigerians seemed to be in the dark when it comes to food security: “Whoever controls our food controls our life forget every other thing and focus, This danger is looming!

“I believe NASS knows what to do with the information we have brought, I believe in your capacity to end this. I want to hit the nail on the head, I believe none us wants to die young.
“With the threat of GMOs, without any form of contradictions, Bill Gates and his foundation have invested heavily in our agriculture and healthcare sectors, introducing GMOs to Nigeria.”

According to him, for example ‘tella maize’ created in laboratories, have been banned in several countries, including Russia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, and some parts of the UK, such as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. He said some of these nations had taken such steps owing to the some concerns.

Nwabufo said such concerns included the fact that “if you plant these seeds in our soil you won’t be able to replant it again, but depend on Bill Gates to always supply nations with his lab-made seeds instead of the one created by God.”

While noting that GMOs had health risks, environmental impact among others, he called on NASS to assess and regulate them through conduct of thorough research and risk assessments before approving their widespread use in Nigeria.