BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Committed to environmental standards, the National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, in collaboration with Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, EHCON, has damaged 57 cartons of unauthorized transgenic hybrid cotton seeds weighing approximately 950 kilograms that were imported into the country without the requisite approvals and certifications required under the law.
The Genetically Modified, GM, seedlings worth N40 million, were imported through Qatar Airlines, with Air Waybill number 157- 4027 6795, destined for Abuja, while Aerotrans Global Forwarding India PVT Limited served as the agent.
Speaking during the exercise on Thursday in Nasarawa, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NBMA, Dr. Fatima Suleiman Zuntu stated that the action followed intelligence gathering, surveillance activities, compliance monitoring, and a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Agency.
According to the DG, investigations established that the transgenic hybrid cotton seeds, traced to Fiyah Global Concept Limited, were introduced and handled without the regulatory approvals and oversight required under the National Biosafety Management Act and applicable regulations governing genetically modified organisms in Nigeria.
Zuntu hinted that the issue constituted a regulatory compliance breach and not a safety incident, adding that the Agency's actions were driven solely by its statutory responsibility to protect Nigerians, safeguard biodiversity and the environment, and preserve public confidence in the regulation of modern biotechnology.
She said: “At no point did the unauthorised activities pose a threat to human health, animal health, or the environment. Nevertheless, complianpce with established regulatory procedures remains a fundamental requirement for maintaining the integrity, credibility, and effectiveness of Nigeria's biosafety system”.
In addition to the disposal exercise, other regulatory sanctions have been imposed on Fiyah Global Concept Limited in accordance with NBMA's administrative processes and the provisions of the law.
EHCON is a regulatory body under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment, mandated to regulate the practice of environmental health in Nigeria.
Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Mohammed Baba informed that given current global realities, critical issues like climate change, and Health Impact Assessment, HIA, Environmental Impact Assessments, EIA have been integrated into their operations.
He noted that the unauthorized transgenic hybrid cotton seeds were not burnt but buried at the Nasarawa State dump site given the effect of emissions on human health and the environment, saying that the agency is committed to implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
“One of our major focus areas right now, driven by the challenge of global warming, is the reduction of Greenhouse Gas, GHG, emissions, which we are actively pursuing through Public-Private Partnerships, PPP.
"The Environmental Health Officers, EHOs, and sanitary inspectors are the policemen of the environment. They have all the powers and privileges of police officers because it’s only a health officer that is allowed by law to enter into any premises within reasonable hours for inspection without a warrant,” he added.
Baba confirmed that EHCON conducted extensive field surveillance, environmental health assessments, and stakeholder consultation on the rising burden of environmental-related diseases linked to Greenhouse Gas, GhG, emissions.
He enjoined stakeholders, including researchers, seed companies, institutions, developers, and operators involved in modern biotechnology-related activities, to obtain the necessary approvals and comply fully with all regulatory requirements before undertaking any activity involving genetically modified organisms in Nigeria.
Baba was optimistic that effective collaboration, integration and interface would provide a lasting solution to Nigeria's health system problems.
Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority, NASWAMSA, also monitored the disposal of the BT Cotton.
The enforcement action demonstrates both agencies commitment to ensuring compliance with Nigeria's biosafety laws, and served as a deterrence to individuals and organisations involved in the importation, distribution, or handling of seeds and other regulated products to obtain the necessary approvals before engaging in such activities.
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