A non-governmental organisation that researches how the ugly trend of increasing incidents of chronic degenerative diseases in Nigeria can be prevented, the Living Science Foundation (LSF), has warned governments and citizens about the major dangers posed by consuming Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods in the country.
Describing the situation as an urgent environmental health concern in Nigeria, the group expressed deep concern over the ongoing deluge of GMO foods in the country, citing adverse health effects such as cancers, organ damage, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, and reductions in the nutritional content of these foods.
The foundation made this statement at a press conference held as part of the activities of the 9th National Conference on Environment and Health (NCEH), taking place at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
In a statement issued by the Foundation and signed by LSF President Prof. Joshua Ojo, and Chairman of the NCEH Planning Committee, Dr. Adeniyi Ogini, the group warned of the impending takeover of Nigeria’s staple foods by GMOs.
They noted that there are very good reasons to doubt the thoroughness of the approval processes for these products in Nigeria.
They urged relevant authorities in Nigeria to conduct appropriate chronic toxicity testing to transparently ascertain the safety of GM food products before their deployment for public consumption.
“The Living Science Foundation is deeply concerned with the ongoing deluge of GMO foods in Nigeria. At the beginning of the year, on January 11, approval was given for the cultivation of GMO TELA Maize in Nigeria. Following this, announcements were made regarding GMO cassava and potatoes being on their way. Transgenic rice and sorghum are also known to be in the pipeline. Since 2019, Nigerians have been officially eating the world’s first genetically modified beans (Bt Cowpeas). The frightening implication of all this is that virtually all the basic staples in Nigeria are being bioengineered and released for commercial cultivation. This is unprecedented anywhere in the world.
“We have earlier expressed (in May 2017) our deep concerns about the use of GMOs as food in Nigeria. These concerns largely revolve around issues of loss of food sovereignty and the established adverse health effects. The germlines of the GMOs being released are proprietary products designed and developed by multinational monopolies with a history of aggressive and ruthless commercial operations. It is clear that, over time, we will need to revert to them repeatedly to address issues that will inevitably arise with the deployment of these novel ‘black-box’ products.
“It appears insane that we should submit our precious God-given food sovereignty into the hands of such (or any other) entities in this manner. As for the adverse health effects following chronic ingestion of GMOs, these—including cancers, organ damage, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, and reductions in nutritional content—are very well established. In its ongoing tussle with the North American Free Trade Zone, where it seeks to stop further importation of GMO foods from the United States, Mexico has cited over 150 peer-reviewed research articles published in top journals, documenting the incontrovertible adverse health effects associated with GMO foods.
“There are very good reasons to doubt the thoroughness of the approval processes for these products in Nigeria. For example, the Germany-based Testbiotech e.V., Institute for Independent Impact Assessment of Biotechnology, published an extensive peer-reviewed report documenting the incredible shoddiness characterising the risk assessment exercise used to approve GM cowpea (beans) in Nigeria. This damning report has, to all intents and purposes, been largely ignored by the relevant authorities in Nigeria. Worse still, the basic legal and reasonable requirement that GMO food products be appropriately labelled (Section 23(2)h of the NBMA Act 2015) is flouted with outright impunity.
“We hereby call on the relevant Nigerian authorities (specifically the Nigeria Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC) to conduct (or commission) appropriate chronic toxicity testing to transparently ascertain the safety of GM food products before their deployment for public consumption in Nigeria. Also, these agencies are enjoined to comply with Nigerian laws requiring that such products, if eventually licensed, be appropriately labelled to provide the public with an informed choice about what they consume,” they said.
The organisation also commended the announced incorporation of the malaria vaccine into the routine childhood immunisation schedule, while emphasising the need to reposition medical and health records for improved environment-health outcomes.
