12 December 2002
Lagos — At the inauguration of the National Biosafety Committee in Abuja last week, Chikas Ohadoma made some important notes which she now reports
The inauguration of the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) and the flagging off the development of Nigeria's National Biosafety Frame-work-National Coordinating Committee (NCC) last week by the government was to provide a means for appropriate decision-making in matters relating to applications for deliberate release of living modified organisms (LMOs) and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Chikas Ohadoma writes that the quest for meanigful environmental management and biodiversity conservation, a concern for the loss of biodiversity globally led the United Nations to begin a process of addressing globally the issues and attempt to arrest in a systematic way the trend.
The launching of the Nigeria Biosafety Committee (NBC) and the National CoordinatingCommittee (NCC) for the development of Nigeria's national biosafety framework was to address some of the requirements inherent on Nigeria's signing the Cartagena protocol on Biosafety (CPB) as well as to be able to reach the variety of local and international stakeholders interested in biotechnology as a developmental tool for Nigeria.
Inaugurating the committee, Minister of State for Environment Dr. Imeh Okopido explained that the National Biosafety Commi-ttee was inaugurated for the purpose of giving teeth to government's responsibility to comply with the requirements of decision-making inherent in applications for the deliberate release of Gen-etically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
The membership of the National Biosafety Commi-ttee (NBC) and the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) which has Professor Johnson Ekpere as chairman and secretary as the national project coordinator Mr. Mathew Dore, includes the federal ministries of Environment; Agriculture and Rural Development, Science and Technology, Industry and Health (National food and drug administration control- NAFDAC).
Others are the federal ministries of Justice, Commerce, Foreign Affairs, Nigeria Customs Services and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Individual members include the National Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Vice chancellor University of Uyo, Professor A. H. Ekpo, Dr. (Mrs) Uzochukwu Sylvia of the University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Chris Ugwu of the society for the Improvement of Rural People, Nsukka, Professor Johnson Ekpere, and Mrs Lamin Lombi.
Addressing the complex nature of the committee, Okopido noted that the federal ministry of Environment is the Focal Point for Biosafety in Nigeria and reiterated the need for cooperation among all stake-holders, particularly, government agencies to avoid the usual pitfalls common in administering such complex issues.
"Agencies of government responsible for promotion of biotechnology have the mandate to achieve their goals but in doing so, they must recognise the role that others charged with safety in food, environment, biodiversity and the regulation of the industry must play. Confusion as to the roles to be played must not be deliberately set. It would only portray us in bad light and send the wrong signal out both locally and internationally."
He stressed that all institutions involved with biotechnology were charged with having in-house biosafety bodies, which essentially were to ensure compliance with the rules and procedures. "This must not be misconstrued with the responsibility for National Biosafety and the administration of safety in biotechnology in Nigeria, especially when it comes to the transboundary movement of LMOs and GMOs," he said.
Okopido called on all agencies of government, the private sector and civil society to commence the use of the existing Guidelines so as to put the guideline to the test and create a chance to improve it.
"This document is not cast in concrete. At the end of the framework which development you are saddled with, a newer version may come out, as the need arises, that takes in tow emerging issues in this fast-growing technology."
Explaining the essence of the event, Okopido said the first step to achieve the development of Nigeria's national biosafety framework (NBF) was to inaugurate the National Biosafety Committee while the other was to flag off the development of Nigeria's National Biosafety Framework. "While the former is a national obligation deriving from our signing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the latter is recognised as part of the capacity-building initiatives by UNEP/GEF to prepare countries for coming into force of the Cartagena Protocl on Biosafety."
However, he noted that the development of the Guideline was done on a fast-track basis to address some of the requirements inherent on signing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB). Noting also that concern for the possible adverse impacts of releasing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the environment was expressed right at the very formative stages of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) while the CPB was developed to address the concern that arise from the release of LMOs into the environment.
Okopido recalled that Nigeria had developed Biosafety Guidelines as far back as 1994, the document of which he said was not formally adopted by the government.
However, he noted that the document was corrected by the Federal Executive Council early this year when it adopted for use a new version of the Guidelines that responds to Nigeria's obligation under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
The new document he said "addresses gaps which could not have been envisaged in the earlier document and states in clear terms the steps to be followed for applications for the intentional release of GMOs", Okopido said.
He added that the current guidelines represents Nigeria's second attempt at controlling the release of LMOs. "As far as regulations go, they are not enough to address all the issues necessary to properly control the release of LMOs. You would have also observed that there are no penalty clauses. Some of you present here participated in that process. That document however was not put into much use and was not popularised either. Between that time and now, a lot of developments in the field of safe use, handling and movement across national boundaries have taken place."
Undoubtedly, the need for the creation of the biosafety frameworks, emerged from the need to assist countries prepare for entry into force of the CPB with the objectives to assist countries in implementing the CPB through the development and implementation of their NBF, promote information sharing and collaboration, especially at the regional and sub-regional level and promote collaboration with screening notifications and requests for completeness.
It would also address risk assessment, including, where appropriate, the consideration of risk management, and risk evaluation (including socio-economic evaluation), decision making within the time frame specified in the regulatory mechanism and in accordance with the provisions of involvement of stakeholders, and a mechanisms for feedback between the different steps.
To successfully carry out the mandate, Okopido said "we intend to raise public awareness and create channels for good information flow to the public on the issues involved around the release of GMOs and LMOs to promote informed debate and to ensure transparency with respect to subsisting local and international regulations and standards of play with regards to GMOs and LMOs. We would also provide all stakeholders opportunity to be involved in the design and implementation of the Nigeria Biosafety Framework."
He further explained that the process of developing National Biosafety Frameworks consists of four phases involving, setting the required project management structures, gathering of baseline information, analysis of that information in consultation with stakeholders and preparation of a draft National Biosafety Framework.
Okopido said the core elements of the framework embodies, a regulatory system, an administrative system, a decision making system that includes risk assessment and management and a mechanism for public participation and information sharing.
"In addressing our obligations under the CPB we are aware of the great potentials that biotechnology offers countries. This work will culminate in the legislation, and fine tuning of administrative and policy initiatives to regulate modern biotechnology and its application, define the set of requirements for imports and exports, production and use", he said.
Furthermore, Okopido noted that Genetic engineering has profound implications for food production, choice and security and added that the introduction of it must contend with the national aspirations and policy goals, Socio-economic consequences including potentially adverse effects on food security, Farmers choice, rights and education, Consumer choice and health, Environmental consequences and Possible impacts on Biodiversity.
He emphasised that the above are important issues for sustainable development and charged the committee that recognising the connection between the various endeavours and designing initiatives to properly utilize and regulate biotechnology was the twin challenge faced by the committee. "These are onerous challenges. The NBF has a life-span of eighteen months. Its life-span cannot be extended. The job must be completed within the stipulated time frame."
He stressed on the issue of safety in biotechnology saying.
"Internationally and in the United Nations arena, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the engine for moving negotiations on the issue of safety in biotechnology forward, especially as it pertains to its impacts on the environment. UNEP was responsible for the development of CBD which came into force after being opened for signature at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) on June 5 1992.
The need for Safety in biotechnology cannot be over emphasised because it is one of the issues addressed in CBD. According to Okopido, the concept of biosafety as enunciated in CBD refers to the need to protect human health and environment from the possible adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology as it has been recognised as having potentials that can improve human well being, particularly in agriculture, food and health care.
In keeping with the concept of biosafety, member states, including Nigeria, had committed themselves to undertaking national, regional and international measures aimed at achieving the three objectives of CBD namely, the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and, the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
Giving a brief background on the CBD, Okopido, quoted that the CBD in Article 19: Handling of Biotechnology and distribution of its benefits, stated "information about the use and safety regulations in handling Genetically Modified Organisms, as well as available information on the potential adverse impact of specific organisms concerned be made available to the contracting Party into which those organisms are to be introduced."
The above he said necessitated a negotiation of a binding agreement, an international quest that began in 1995 with a variety of interest groups pitched against each other.
The process he added took about five years and saw preparations take place on all the continents.
"In January 2000, agreement was reached on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) in Montreal, Canada after more than five years of articulation of the elements of the protocol. The Protocol's major plank is to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, taking into account risks to human health, and specifically focussing on transboundary movements."
Okopido said that the Nigerian government having recognised the value of the CPB, gave approval for Nigeria to sign the protocol. "A major step was taken by Nigeria on the 24th of May 2000, when in compliance with government directives, Nigeria signed the Cartagena protocol on Biosafety (CPB). This epoch-making event which took place in Nairobi, Kenya was part of the ceremonies of the Fifth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
This protocol comes into effect when 50 members ratify it. Currently, there are 38 countries which have ratified the protocol."
Outlining the functions of the NBC, the secretary of the committee and the national project coordinator, Mr. Mathew Dore said that in recognition of the need to provide advice to government on biosafety, the NBC shall among other things, be responsible for risk assessment and risk management, establish and review, as necessary guidelines or both physical and biological containment and or control procedures appropriate to the level of assessment risk. NBC shall also consult with the relevant government agencies and other organisations as appropriate, advise where appropriate, on the training of personnel with regard to safety procedures.
Moreover, NBC is expected to maintain an inventory of laboratories with physical and human capacities to conduct research, undertake risk assessment and create a database of experiences in the releases of LMOs and GMOs in the country. Just as it shall submit an annual report of its activities to the national focal Point the federal Ministry of environment among other functions.
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