GMOs: NBMA to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure safety – DG
NAN-AE-3
Bio-safety
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, Oct. 11, 2017 (NAN) Dr Rufus Ebegba, the Director-General, National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA) says the agency will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure safety and healthy environment with regards Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Ebegba said this when members of the Northern Youths Anti-Corruption Ambassadors (NYACA) visited him at the agency’s headquarters on Wednesday in Abuja.
The DG, who was honoured with an award of excellence by the ambassadors, said the agency would collaborate with relevant bodies to ensure safety and healthy environment.
According to him, he is working to ensure that the country ends up with a safe and credible agency.
“This award will not only encourage me to be fair in my dealings and in the affairs of governance, it will also encourage others who also want to emulate what it takes to be honest.
“The National Bio-safety Agency is a new agency that needs an endurable foundation that will continue to work to ensure the safety of Nigerians with regards to Genetically Modified Organisms GMOs.’’
He congratulated the ambassadors for joining the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.
“I am proud of you for joining the government of the day in the fight against corruption.
“We expect every Nigerian to be vigilant so that we can together fight corruption so that our nation will be great once more.
“Corruption has lead to the mismanagement of our resources: the nation has been a great nation with vast resources and these resources have been mismanaged leading to poverty, unemployment, violence, agitations and political instabilities.
“If we can together fight corruption now I believe tomorrow will be better for us all.
“Leaders of this nation must know that one day we will leave the stage, even the youths will also grow and get to our level and also leave the stage; so all should be conscious of the fact that we need to leave behind a nation where our children will be proud of.
“The award conferred on me today shows that Nigerians are watching the actions of the government and its establishment.
“In an era where corruption has become an issue in our nation and the youths are also supporting the fight against corruption I think we have a hope in this nation,” Ebegba said.
While presenting the award of recognition for safety management, youth empowerment, financial discipline and social transformation, the National Coordinator, Northern Youth Anti-Corruption Ambassadors, Idris Goga, commended the DG for his hard work.
“This award of excellence is to encourage you to follow the legacies of late Sir Aminu Kano, Late Sir Ahmade Bello, Sir Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Belewa and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe that are unquantifiable.
“We honour and accord individuals and organisations due recognition for hard-work, high performance, high productivity and research achievements.
“And this award will serves as a watchdog for Nigerian youths, who have integrity, diligence and committed to selfless service.”
He said the award was conceived years ago as a befitting gesture to honour worthy individuals whose attainments in life socially, economically and politically among others had brought fame, honour and respect to the nation.
He said the organisation was committed to empowering the youths with leadership skills and values to enable them make a lasting contribution to our society.
“We also organise leadership symposium on advocacy, peaceful co-existence, anti-corruption crusade, good governance with the aim of strengthening democracy, transparency and accountability,’’ he said.(NAN)
EPA/JIE/AFA
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Felix Ajide