By Ikechukwu Chukwudi
In a less than 40days, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR will draw to a close, and as well mark the exit of Olorogun Dr Rufus Ebegba KSJ from office as Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
For many who are aware and the few who need to know, Dr Ebegba is a distinguished Deltan from Evwreni Community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, who served as the First DG/CEO of the Agency, since it was established by an act of Parliament(National Assembly) and subsequently gazetted, assuming office in June 2015 and enjoying reappointment 6 months before the end of his first tenure, for another tenure of 4 years.
Since assuming office in 2015, Dr Ebegba has maintained a disposition to deliver the mandate/herculean task of Organizing and Directing the affairs of an agency that has today become the Pride of the Biosafety and Biosecurity architecture, not just for Nigeria but indeed the rest of Africa.
The NBMA under Dr Rufus Ebegba a University of Benin-trained environmental scientist, has received life and indeed worked its way through the ranks of MDAs, to become a reputable and well respected agency, that was built from nothing other than the law establishing it. In fact, today it is one of the best run agencies in the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Under the leadership of Dr Ebegba for the past 8years, the NBMA has earned a top spot as a regulatory, management and revenue generating agency, that has not just brought respect to the country, but also put money into the coffers of the Federal Government.
Coming on the scene to the reality of having next to nothing, added to a non-existent or dormant biosafety/biosecurity sector in the country since Independence in 1960, the story of Dr Ebegba’s NMBA performance is one that inspires patriotism and celebrates hardwork, focus and consistency.
From nothing, to raising a staff base which now has a healthy infusion of young people into the system, to institutionalizing a framework for the Biosecurity architecture in the country through the establishment of the National Biosafety Policy And Action Plan 2022 -2026, Dr Rufus Ebegba has led NBMA through the murky aspects of lobbying, politicking and Inadequate financing, to birth a system that has been a source of tourism to the country, with countries in Africa and beyond visiting Nigeria to witness and understudy the policies and research Action plans validated by the NBMA, over the past 8years.
Not to be left out are the striking and boisterous innovations credited to the NBMA under Dr Ebegba, which include Bt.cotton and Pod Borer Resistant cowpea, commonly referred to as beans, as well as establishing a modern GMO Testing facility to further research and help fight food shortage/famine.
More interesting is the fact that despite being the longest serving Federal Appointee from Delta State, Dr Rufus Ebegba has successfully maintained a corrupt-free and noncontroversial personality, exhibiting a meekness and superior sense of maturity, that has kept him focused on delivering the mandate of raising a solid NBMA, and midwife the birth of a better Biosafety sector that Nigerians will be proud of, once they come to know his performance.
Through his sterling leadership qualities, Dr Rufus Ebegba has made the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) amongst many other positive developments, an institution that carries the positive example of the dexterity of Deltans and the Urhobo Nation.
As his tenure winds to a close, Deltans and indeed Nigerians across the world are blessed and satisfied with his ingenuity and savvy administrative skills, which regularly got things done at the NBMA and Federal Ministry of Environment.
Ikechukwu Chukwudi Legacydreamz is the publisher of Roundtown Magazine, and writes from Asaba, Delta State
