The federal government has approved the National biosecurity policy and action plan 2022 – 2026 to ensure, among other things, biosecurity for the protection of the environment and human health from harmful biological agents and to protect Nigeria’s socio-economic development
Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, stated that the approval was given recently at the special session of the Federal Executive Council meeting.
“The Policy document aims to foster an integrated and holistic biosecurity strategy that will be implemented through One-health approach for the prevention, early detection, rapid response to biothreats and recovery from biosecurity incidents.
She noted that the policy will ensure synergy and harmonization among stakeholders for effective and efficient operations of the national biosecurity system. It is to ensure that all aspects of national and international agreement, conventions, guidelines and other instruments on biosecurity are duly taking into consideration.”
“It could be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari has in July 2019, assented to an amendment of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act, 2015 mandating the NBMA to “put measures in place to ensure biosecurity in Nigeria”.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), in setting the stage for the implementation of the Presidential directive convened a biosecurity stakeholders’ consultative meeting in January 2020. This was to discuss and develop a befitting and workable national document and action plan to address all issues and concerns on biosecurity for the country.
“It was unanimously agreed that effective synergy among stakeholders and introduction of emerging
methodologies will promote an efficient prevention, preparedness, response and mitigation system against any bio-threat. Accordingly, it was resolved that a National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan be developed.
The minister explained that, “after going through several reviews, stakeholders validated the draft National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan in September 2021, before it was presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval
“We are very pleased with this approval in the environment sector, which gives the country a proper, comprehensive and workable document to tackle biosecurity issues and ensure that bio-threats are properly contained and even eliminated”.
