The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering has urged the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) to ensure that products with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), are clearly labelled in line with global best practices.
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The advice was handed down during the agency’s budget defense, in Abuja.
The Chairman of the committee on Science and Engineering, Mr. Garba Inuwa said that the committee would continue to work towards protecting Nigerians from consuming unhealthy foods.
A member of the committee, Mr. Awaji-Inombek Abiante insisted on the need for clear labelling of such products for Nigerians to make informed decision on what they consume.
“In advanced environment, you have choices but here (in Nigeria), we do not label. There is a question mark on Tela Maize so what we are saying is you have to do more research before adaptation.
“You’re serving Nigerians what ordinarily, if they have that knowledge wouldn’t consume and you’re trying to justify it”, he stated.
The Director General of the agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, had informed the committee that the agency’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year was N5.3 billion, made up of an overhead cost of N834.4 million and a personnel cost of N14.5 million, disclosing that the agency have a staff strength of about 4,000 spread across its 39 centres nationwide.
He also attempted to justify GMOs, saying that if you buy cereal from the US, you are already consuming GMO.
“90 percent of maize in the US in GMO”, he stated, adding that some Nigerians, and not all Nigerians rejected them as being portrayed.
The committee also received budget submissions from the Trypanosomiasis Research Institute, Project Development Institute (PRODA), National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).
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