BY INALEGWU SHAIBU
STAKEHOLDERS in the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Science and Technology plan to convene a national summit on biotechnology aimed at sensitising senators on its benefits to the Nigerian economy.

Coordinator of the stakeholders, which also include the Ministry of Environment and National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA, Mrs. Rose Gidado, told newsmen that Nigeria was missing out on the gains of biotechnology because of the absence of bio-safety law.

She urged the Senate to expedite action on the biotechnology bill which was already passed by the House of Representatives, stressing that the passage of the law will boost food production and checkmate the abuse of biotechnology.

She said: “The giant strides already recorded in the research institutes in the country in the area of crop improvement, like BT cowpea and bio-cassava, with all the promises of remedying the prevalent micronutrient malnutrition in the country, will never make it to commercial without bio-safety regulations.”

“The passage of the Bill would help Nigeria to achieve food sufficiency/food security, industrial growth, health improvement and environmental sustainability and would also help to effectively regulate activities of modern biotechnology.”

Mrs. Gidado noted that the absence of a bio-safety law had hampered the activities of Research and Development (R&D) of genetically modified organisms in the country, thereby denying Nigeria of the benefits associated with this cutting edge technology practice.

She pointed out that the advantages of the modern biotechnology will help to improve food quality, nutritional improvement and consistency for healthy living, adding that it also improve growth and productivity of plants and animals.

She also mentioned other advantages of biotechnology which include producing new breed animals and plants, reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides and helping to produce plants that could reduce Green House Gases thereby reducing effect of climate change.