Minister tasks Biosafety Agency on biological defence strategy

The Minister of Environment, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, has urged the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to engage a biological defence strategy against eventualities of biological warfare.

Abdullahi, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he visited the agency.

“As a biosafety agency there will be need to prepare for any eventuality.

“The future of global warfare is possibly going to be on biological warfare, so it is very important we have biological defence strategy. So that we are not taken by surprise as a country,” the minister warned.

He, therefore, urged the Agency to be alert and responsive to these challenges.

He commended the Director-General of the agency, Dr Rufus Ebegba, in addressing the challenges of office space they had encountered so far.

“In spite of the challenges of office space, you have been able to navigate the agency close to eight years now.”

The minister promised to assist the agency with an office space for soonest, especially within his tenure in office.

He commended the National Park Service for their accommodating spirit and the maturity they had displayed in offering NBMA office accommodation over the years.

He also commended the agency for their oversight functions on the activities of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) by not allowing the country to be a dumping ground for GMOs.

Earlier, Ebegba said that NBMA had been saddled with the responsibility to regulate modern biotechnology application and to ensure that these products of technology are safe for the environment and human health.

He commended the minister for his political will and assured him the agency’s continued collaboration.

The director-general called for more support from the Federal Government to keep being on top in Africa and the world at large.