Reps Tasks NABDA on Proper Labelling of GMO Products

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) has been tasked to ensure the clear labelling of all products of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), in line with global best practices.

The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, chair d by Representative Olusola Fatoba handed down the task on Thursday at a budget defence session with agency.

This is as the Director General of the agency, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha had in response to a questions about GMOs at the session with the Committee 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.

However, a member of the panel, Representative 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.

Earlier, the DG informed the committee that the agency’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year is 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.

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).

END/KK