NBMA Hosts National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Biotechnology and Biosafety in Keffi
By Roseline Okafor, Nasarawa.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) convened a National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Biotechnology and Biosafety at Golden Dabis Hotel, Keffi, on Monday.
The event brought together participants from various organizations, including students from Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
The National Biosafety Management Agency regulates modern biotechnology activities and the release into the environment, handling, and use of genetically modified organisms which are products of modern biotechnology to prevent adverse impact on the environment and human health.
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The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Environment in Nigeria, a regulatory body guiding modern biotechnology activities to ensure the safeguarding of lives and the environment from the adverse effects of biotechnology activities.
Declaring the stakeholder dialogue workshop open, the Director General and CEO of the agency, Mr. Bello Bawa Bwari, represented by Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Bello Scholastica, said the duty of the agency is to formulate overall policy guidance on issues of biosafety in Nigeria.
She called on stakeholders and participants to support the organization to enable them to carry out their duties effectively as well as develop a risk management plan and strategy for protecting human health, biological diversity, and the environment from potential risks associated with genetically modified organisms.
Dr. Agha Ukpai Agha, Acting Director, Department of Biosecurity, and Hauwa Tahir Ahmed, Acting Director, Biosafety Enforcement and Operations, said it is within their duties to ensure that activities of biotechnology are safe for the environment, including animals, among others.
Given the objectives of the workshop, Head, Information and Public Relations, Gloria Ogbaki, and Alex Abutu, Communication Officer for African Agricultural Technology Foundation, said the expectations of the workshop are to improve mutual understanding and reduced polarization, clear documentation of stakeholder concerns, and confidence in NBMA’s regulatory transparency.
Some participants interviewed emphasized that they will use the knowledge gained to improve farming activities and appreciated the organizers of the event.
The participants including, students of Nasarawa state University Keffi, Farmer and non governmental organization among others
