By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
A Professor of Soil fertility, Olugbenga Adeoluwa has attributed growing cases of organ failure in the country to the unwholesome practices of some farmers.
He stated this at the one day Judiciary training on GMO and State of biosafety in Nigeria, organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) on Monday in Abuja.
The training is to help members of the judiciary make decisions that align with legal principles, equity, and good conscience and to equip them with the knowledge they need to understand how GMOs can infringe on fundamental human rights
The University of Ibadan don said many farmers in the country cut corners by engaging in several unwholesome practices that endanger health of consumers.
He said “Many research efforts have linked unhealthy foods consumption to several diseases like cancer, organ failure, hormonal imbalance etc.”
The don said Nigeria is going through a food crisis situation, hence almost turning into a dumping ground for questionable food products.
“It is no gainsaying that safety of GMOs health-wise, environmentally, socially, economically is questionable.
“Nigeria should prioritize safe alternatives to GMOs to address food security and economic gains for the country.
Safe food advocate, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje in her paper titled “Assessing the existing legislation and regulations of Biosafety in Nigeria. Where are the gaps? What is the way forward?” lamented absence of strong laws to check GMOs.
“There are no mention of liability and redress in case of damage arising from release of GMO in the environment; no provision of co-existence; no clear and mandatory provisions on labeling; strict liability clause; and no checks and balances.”
One of the participants at the training, Inibehe Effiong said it will equip judges of the legal framework governing GMOs
The training was attended by lawyers from the bar and bench.
