Omiete Blessing
Following the alleged harmful impact of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on humans, some civil society organisations in Nigeria have intensified the call on the Nigerian government to outrightly ban all such foods from entering the country.
The civil society groups led by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said such foods are dangerous to human health and also destroys the biodiversity of the environment.
Joyce Brown, Director Programmes of HOMEF while leading an awareness campaign in Port Harcourt, urged the government to revoke all previous licences issued to firms to import GMO foods into the country.
The rally which took place in Rivers, Edo, Katsina, Plateau, Oyo, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Enugu, Jigawa States and the FCT featured advocacy visits to state government houses and relevant ministries where serious concerns regarding the deployment of GMOs in Nigeria were aired.
Executive Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, said Nigeria does not need GMOs to address food insecurity, stressing that the design of those crops does not support local economic growth but promote dependency on corporate seed supply.
Mrs Brown during the campaign in Port Harcourt, alleged that GMO foods have been linked to cancerous conditions in human.
She stated that against the argument by the government that GMOs are for food security, that Nigeria can feed herself effectively without them.
“Research has shown that use of GMOs overtime is capable of destroying vital organs of the human body such as kidneys and the livers and they are linked to cancer and several other disorders.
“GMOs also contribute to several allergies being experienced by people. So this campaign is not only for awareness but we are also calling on the government to ban GMOs and revoke all the permits that has been granted to importation of GMOs because Nigeria can feed herself,” she said.
She said government should support agro-ecology and provide the necessary facilities to support farmers to make food sufficient for the country and not rely on foods that are poisonous to the people.
The rights activist noted that countries such as South Africa and Mexico are now banning GMO foods because of its harmful effects on the people and so Nigeria can’t be opening her doors to such foods.
Also speaking, Kentebe Ebiaridor, Programmes Officer of Environmental Rights Action-Friends of the Earth, said GMOs are not beneficial to the local markets, adding that if it’s allowed, overtime, natural food growers and the local farmers would be pushed out of business.
“Government must understand that GMOs are not benefiting us or our local markets. If this GMOs continue then our local and peasant farmers would go out of business.They only benefits a few elites who are not bordered about the consequence on the masses,” he stated.
He said the masses especially in the Niger Niger Delta are already battling the impact of oil pollution on their lands and as such can’t stand another disaster from GMOs.
Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman of Rivers State Civil Society Organisations, on his part said government should be responsible enough to go into agriculture for food security in Nigeria.
He stressed that GMOs are only market for a few who wants to enrich themselves at the expense of the health of the people, argued that Nigeria has fertile lands to grow sufficient foods to carter for the needs of her population.