The House of Representatives Thursday asked the executive arm of the federal government to suspend the introduction of new Genetically Modified (GM) crops, pending the outcome of the planned investigation by its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services.
The House also Thursday urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to cause the already introduced GM foods and crops in Nigeria to be properly labeled to safeguard consumers, as it mandate does its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the introduction of genetically modified crops, and assess the potential health and environmental risks associated with them, and report back within four weeks.
The resolution was sequel to a motion on “Need to Investigate the Introduction of Genetically Modified Crops in Nigeria,” presented by Hon. Muktar Tolani Shagaya, adding that “introducing these crops has led to public outcries with serious concerns expressed about the potential risks these GM crops may pose to human health, environmental degradation, and food security.”
He said the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has been accused of approving the introduction of GM crops into Nigeria without following due process and scientific protocols, as he also expressed concerns that “these GM crops are being introduced into Nigeria at a time when the said crops have been banned in several countries like France, Russia, Germany, China, India, and a host of other countries in Europe due to safety concerns.”