Senate moves to create bio-safety management agency

The Senate on Wednesday approved the legislative action to regulate the application of biotechnology when it passed for second reading, the Bill seeking to establish the National Bio-Safety Management Agency.

The Bill seeks among others, to address the National Bio-safety requirements and regulate the practice of modern biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms in order to ensure safety to the environment and human health.

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Domingo Obende, while reading the lead debate, said it will apply to safety administration of any activity of importing, exporting GMOs and the products derived into and out of the country.

He noted that the absence of Bio-safety law had hampered research and development in modern biotechnology in Nigeria.

He said, A Bio-safety law will, therefore, enable our research institutes to carry out their statutory functions

The Bio-safety Bill will address issues concerning food security, health issues, diagnostic, and environmental problems like desertification, soil erosion, among others.

Senator Smart Adeyemi, in his contribution, said Nigeria needs to embrace modern technology to ensure food security for the population, creation of jobs and wealth for the youth.

He said, Nigeria has to apply relevant technology to guarantee food security for the people because the nation can only move forward when it is able to feed the citizens.

This agency will be able to help create jobs and develop rare seedlings that would help to impact the agricultural sector.

Senator Benedict Ayade, said the Bio-safety agency would monitor the application of micro-organisms for improving agricultural yield.

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Senate moves to create bio-safety management agency