Farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture, science and technology and health sectors have commended the efforts of members of the National Assembly for passing the Bill for an Act to Establish the National Biosafety Management Agency 2014.”

As a signatory, Nigeria made efforts at domesticating the Cartagena protocol with the National Biosafety Management Agency Bill 2011 which was initially passed by the 6th National Assembly but was not assented to by the President because it was passed a day before the end of the life of that Assembly.

The bill was returned under this 7th National Assembly. The Senate last week passed the bill after taking the report by the Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, and this was replicated by the House of Representatives when the bill scaled through the second reading of the Bill and passed it.

A stakeholder , Hassan Abdul said all that remains now is a final mention which should come up some time early next week before it goes to a joint committee of both Chambers to harmonise the areas of differences.

While commending the members of the National Assembly, Abdul said it is believed that the President will assent to the bill before the end of this 7th Assembly.

Arc. Kabiru Salman, a farmer, said “As farmers, we embrace biotechnology and the passage of the bill will make whatever we do legitimate.”