Ghana’s biosafety law is model for Africa — Dr Wambugu

Ghana’s progress towards setting up robust biotech policy is an excellent model that other African countries can emulate, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Harvest, Dr Florence Wambugu, has said.

She congratulated the country on passing a biosafety law and also setting up a National Biosafety Authority.
Dr Wambugu said this at a public engagement forum on Genetically Modified Foods and Nutrition organised by the Africa Nutrition Society (ANS), according to a release from Africa Harvest.

“Africa Harvest has keenly followed the biotech developments in Ghana and it is pleased with the developments,” the release said.
The session brought together scientists and renowned subject experts, health professionals, academics, politicians and policy makers, religious leaders, lay persons, students and the general public to examine and have an informed debate on applications of biotechnology in general and particularly Genetic Modified Foods as a contributor to Africa’s food and nutrition security problems.

The release further quoted Dr Wambugu as saying: “Ghana has, step by step, built a strong regulatory system, based on historically strong legal systems and a strong adherence to the rule of law.”

“In the last five years, the regulatory system has seen the approval of five GM trials. This confirms that you cannot build strong regulatory systems in a vacuum. By putting forward these applications to the regulators, Ghanaian researchers and technology developers have helped develop and strengthen the system.”
“Ghana has also developed excellent biotech infrastructure, including a new ultramodern biotech lab at the Crop Research Institute, in addition to facilities at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Centre and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission,” said Dr Wambugu in the release.
“As the country has built the physical infrastructure, it has also developed strong scientific and other human capacities,” Dr Wambugu noted.
She said it was enviable that the country has over 70 scientists trained in modern biotech techniques, adding that: “Countries in the region and other African countries can learn from what Ghana has done.”