BY Emma Elebeke

The Senate Committee Chairman on Science and Technology, Sen. Ajayi Borofice has warned the presidency of the dangers in delaying the signing of Biosafety bill into law.

In fact, Borofice declared that further delay on the bill would affect the Nigerian economy negatively.

He gave the warning when the committee visited the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA in Abuja.

Borofice expressed disappointment that the bill had not been signed even after it had long been ratified and submitted to the Presidency by the sixth National Assembly based on merit and its capacity to wealth creation and boosting of Nigeria’s economic growth.

The law maker, who expressed satisfaction with the effort of the agency emphasized the need for quick passage of the bill into law and urged the minister of science and technology, Prof. Ita Bassey Ewa to take up the challenge of educating the Presidency on the importance of the bill to Nigeria.

“There is great stride this agency has taken in the area of molecular genetics and also in the area of pharmaceutical. Also in area of agric biotechnology. These are very important either in medicine or in agriculture.

“I think they have done very well in a very shot time. I am also impressed in the area of collaboration and the kind of partnership they have been able to attract from abroad, despite the fact that their major constraint is that Biosafety bill, which has not been signed into law. And this is a major constraint in the kind of things they can do and the kind of partnership they can attract from abroad. In all they have done well in what they have been assigned to undertake,” he said.

He also charged Nigerian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the research work of the agency to create more wealth necessary products for the country.  For him, “many research institutions like this must have laws and procedures that will guide them in what they do, because some of the chemical elements they use are hazardous and must be known, so that they do not endanger the health of Nigerians. With this law, they are going to have meaningful collaboration with partners and be able to expand towards wealth creation”

Responding, the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Bamidele Solomon lamented the delay in the signing of the bill, saying that coupled with poor funding, it had remained a major constraint to his agency’s performance. He cried out that “the funding, particularly in the science and technology segment has been low. If we can use the little funding to achieve all we have done, then government should be able to compliment our effort by increasing our funding,” he said.