Newly Appointed NBMA Boss Tasked On Building Agency’s Legacies

The newly appointed Director General of the National Biosafety Management Agency of Nigeria, NBMA, Dr Agnes Asagbra has been urged to build on the agency’s already laid foundation.

This would ensure a greater goal and achievement for the agency.

The outgoing Director General of the Agency, Dr Rufus Ebegba, stated this in Abuja during the handing over ceremony of the incoming Director General in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He also called on the staff of the agency to remain committed and work diligently with the new DG to ensure the Agency achieved its mandate.

“It is my honour to handover to you as the affairs of the NBMA, I have charge the officers of the agency to give you if possible greater commitment support. So that’s enabled foundation we have leads you will to build upon it to achieve greater goals, better achievement. So that the enviable position, Nigeria stands in the committee of nations Nigeria will not go below it. I believe so strongly the issue about Biosafety and dynamic. I must also tell you it has been a turbulent time for the agency particularly for me as chief executive who came in 2015 face with attacks by anti GMOs groups  buy we remain determined  unwavering because we believe tge Agency we are in,” he explained.

While commending staff of the agency for their dedication to work in the past eight years since the inception of the Agency, Dr Ebegba urged them to put in their best.

“I believe we are handing over to another strong lady who will pilot the affairs of this agency to the greater glory to the next level. So we are living behind it a national pride. I retired in 2018 voluntarily. So that’s what I’m doing now as you have some month before I would retire I have been officially retired from the Civil Service. I’m not done yet but my tenure in office to serve has ended. And I feel highly fulfilled, satisfied, happy, when I look back I know I’m leaving behind great men and women who we always stand tall in the community of nations so I am proud and happy to be leaving.” Dr Ebegba said.

He said the Agency owns Nigeria the duty to ensures the it gives Nigeria what it takes to grow economically.

He also commended the media for their reportage during his tenure as the Director General of the Agency of the National Biosafety Management Agency of Nigeria.

“I have be quoted out of context severally but I was never afraid to talk to the press because that was the only way we could clear ourselves from some allegations,” he said.

The Newly appointed Director General of the Agency, Dr Agnes Asagbra while appreciating the outgoing DG for his effort said she was ready to work with the staff of the agency to take the agency to the a greater heights.

She however solicited for the support of the staff of the Agency to work, saying that her administration would also bring in more international collaboration into the organisation.

Dr, Asagbra added that the work of Biosafety will continue because the government is particular about the people, animal and the environment.

“I know that we have excellent stuff here, we have intelligent, forward looking innovative staff here who have the capacity to be able to take NBMA to greater heights because they have been trained and they are also training other people. So they the capacity is there the enablement is there, and definitely, we’re going to go greater, and I would like to tell you something, you’re going to have much more about NBMA in the future and for good things for the progress of this nation,” she added.

Before her appointment as Director General of the NBMA, Dr Asagbra was the Assistant Director General at Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi in Lagos state southwest Nigeria.

Confidence Okwuchi