HOMEF raises alarm on GMOs release

The Coordinator of Food Sovereignty Program for Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Africa, and Chair, Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Barrister Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, has raised the alarm over the commercialisation of Bt Cotton in Nigeria.
She said the warning was due to the recent announcement by National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crops, Livestock/ Fisheries varieties at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).
According to her, this information was released during a remark by the director general, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Dr.
Rufus Ebegba, and the country representative of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Dr Rose Gidado She said the announcement by National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crops, Livestock/ Fisheries varieties at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), remarks made by Dr.
Rufus Ebegba, DG/CEO of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and country representative of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) who is also a staff of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Dr Rose Gidado, is not a victory but a breach of law and order.
Bassey-Orovwuje in a statement at the weekend, said it is also a disregard of the best interest of the Nigerian people and their right to be consulted and respected.
She added that “this adds a new dimension to the suspicion that disregard for judicial processes, is taking a worrisome turn in current situation of things in Nigeria and if we have surrendered our sovereignty to corporate interests.
According to her, “both agencies, NBMA and NABDA are defendants in the pending suit filed by the Registered Trustees of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and sixteen other Civil Society Organisations in the Federal High Court of Justice of Nigeria in the Abuja Judicial Division, September 13th2017, suit No FHC/ABJ/ C5/846/2017.
“The plaintiffs – HOMEF and sixteen others, sought amongst other reliefs, a declaration that NBMA, the 1st defendant in this case, did not comply with the provisions of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act in granting the permits to the 3rd defendant, Monsanto Agricultural Nigeria Limited and NABDA; the 4th defendant in this case; for the purpose of commercial release of Bt Cotton (Mon 15985) and confined field trial with (1) NK603 and (2) MON89034 x NK603 maize in Nigeria.
“The plaintiffs also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd defendant and 4th defendant by themselves, their agents, servants, workmen or otherwise or whatsoever from carrying out any activity or further activities pursuant to the permits granted by the 1st defendant.
“The plaintiffs considered the permits granted by NBMA to Monsanto and NABDA in breach of and a threat to the Fundamental Human Rights of the Plaintiffs as well as the general public as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended in 2011.
“They also want an order revoking the permits granted by the 1st Defendant to the 3rd and 4th Defendants/Respondents.
The plaintiffs opined that the issuance of the said permits on the 1st of May 2016 which happened to be a public holiday being Sunday and Workers’ Day is illegal, null and void.” She however said while the court is yet to deliver her judgement in the case, the defendants, in defiance to the ongoing court process, had gone ahead to register and release some Genetically Modified (GM) products and the Bt cotton – one of the subjects of litigation, into the Nigerian environment.
The group listed the newly released and registered products to include two transgenic hybrid cotton: MRC 7377 BG11 and MRC 7361 BG1.1, saying they were developed by Mahyco Nigeria.
Mahyco is another name for Monsanto and MRC 7377 BG11 and MRC 7361 BG11 refer to the same Bt Cotton (Mon 15985) that is the subject of litigation.
According to her, this information is displayed on the webpage of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- Biotech Applications (ISAAA).
“This singular action speaks volumes.
If these agencies can show this brazen disregard for due process, if they can show this level of contempt for an ongoing court case over a matter of such grave importance, how do Nigerians trust them with their food, crops and livestock?,” she quipped.