By Dele Ogbodo
The Federal Government through the Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal, has tasked the Director General, Dr. Agnes Asagbra and her Management Team of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to be the first and foremost biosafety agency in the continent to drive food security.
He said the fulfilment of the agency’s regulatory mandate should be brought to bear through its regulatory framework on ongoing scientific research which is geard towards safeguarding the nation.
This is coming even as he applauded the agency for the great work in the country’s food security drive.
Lawal, said the National Biosafety Management Agency is pivotal to achieving the food security goal of the Federal Government.
The Minister stated this during his familiarization visit to the agency on Wednesday in Abuja.
Lawal, advised the agency to extend its work to other state governments as; collaborating with other states will enhance awareness about biosafety and contribute to a seamless nationwide implementation of the biosafety process.
The Minister also urged all members of staff to be punctual, imbibe team work and also collaborate with one another to achieve a more effective and productive job.
In a remark, the DG emphasized on the impact and benefit of the agency in safeguarding the human health, plants animals and the environment.
She emphasized that the agency has provided a robust enabling environment for indigenous and foreign scientists to practice modern biotechnology under a robust legal framework.
Asagbra, acknowledged that the agency will not rest on its oars in ensuring safety in the application of modern biotechnology which is very essential to attaining food security in Nigeria.
