Speaker receives petitions on GMOs

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, has acknowledged receipt of a number of petitions relating to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and the Plant Breeders Bill and said he will seek the advice of the leadership of the House on which course to take on the issue.

Welcoming members to the House yesterday after the Christmas holidays, he said he had also taken note of the fact that the Biosafety Act (Act 831) which was enacted in 2011 made provision for the establishment of a regulatory body, that is the National Biosafety Authority, to deal with most of the concerns raised in the petitions on GMOs.

“Indeed the objectives of the Act provided in section two are to ensure an adequate level of protection in the field of safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms resulting from biotechnology that may have an adverse effect on health and the environment and to establish a transparent and predictable process to review and make decisions on genetically modified organisms specified in paragraph A and related activities.

I would, therefore, refer this matter to the leadership to consider and advise the chair accordingly,” he said.

In the past few months, the effects of GMOs on health and the implications of the passage of the Plant Breeders Bill have been highlighted by the media with members of the public expressing varied views.

While some have kicked against GMOs, others have welcomed it expressing the view that the new varities produced would ensure food security.

The purpose of the Plant Breeders Bill is to establish a legal framework to protect the rights of breeders  of new varieties of plants or plant  groupings and to promote the breeding of new varieties of plants aimed at improving the quantity, quality and cost of food, fuel, fibre and raw materials for industry.

It seeks to acknowledge the achievements of breeders of new varieties by making available to them an exclusive right on the basis of a set of uniform and clearly defined principles. It is the belief of the proponents of the bill that it would promote the growth of the seed industry and safeguard the lawful right and interest of plant breeders.

Furthermore, the bill seeks to regulate the production, offer for sale, sale, marketing and advertisement of new varieties.

The Graphic Communications Group Ltd, a week-and-a-half ago, presented a petition to the Speaker on the bill, calling on the House to take a second look at the issue.

The Plant Breeders Bill is currently at the consideration stage in Parliament.

It is one of the important bills that would be considered by the House during the current session.

Mr Adjaho said from the agenda, the current meeting would be a hectic one packed with legislative business and expressed the hope that members would co-operate with him and improve upon their attendance to “enable us to complete our business on time.”

He urged ministries, departments and agencies of government to respect the time table of the House and submit their legislative proposals which require consideration and approval by Parliament on schedule.