The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent out a strong warning to
Nigerians concerning the licensing of Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO) crops to be farmed in Nigeria.
In a statement sent to The Herald by the PDP New Media Director, Deji
Adeyanju, the party warned Nigerians on the deadly effect of such crops.
GMO crops have been banned or restricted in many countries across the
world due to their negative effects on the human body and the
environment. Some of these crops are known to cause cancer and other
life threatening diseases.
The statement from the PDP reads:
On May 1, 2016 the National Biosafety Management Agency issued a licence
to Mosanto Agriculture (Nig) Limited authorising it to place
genetically modified cotton on the Nigerian market for commercial use.
2. On the same day, NBMA also issued a licence to MAL authorising
it to commence Confined Field Trials (CFT) on genetically modified corn
(NK603 & MON 89034 x NK603) with Permit No: NBMA/C FT/001.
3. MAL is a subsidiary of Mosanto Company, a US based Agriculture
Company. It produces genetically modified seeds & crops as well as
glyphosate based herbicides.
4. We are concerned that the @MBuhari is licencing a company that
produces controversial & dangerous crops & products to
participate in the agriculture sector in Nigeria.
5. Furthermore, this company has shown a willingness to participate in corrupt practices in global circles.
6. The company the @MBuhari admin is licensing to produce corn for
consumption by Nigerians was the sole producer of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) which US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned
in 1979 due to its link to birth defects & cancer in laboratory
animals & adverse skin & liver effects in humans.
7. In May 2016 a St Louis jury awarded damages in the sum of $46.5m
for negligence in handling PCBs which caused the plaintiffs to contract
non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of cancer.
8. Amongst other things, the jury determined that Mosanto had known
that its PCBs were a dangerous health hazard since 1955 but covered
that fact up. This is the company the @MBuhari admi has licenced to
operate in Nigeria.
9. Mosanto is the manufacturer of the herbicide – Round up, a
glyphosate based herbicide. In March 2015, the International Agency for
Cancer Research (IARC) classified glyphosate as a Group 2A carcinogen
which is “probably” able to cause cancer in humans.
10. The Company licenced by the @MBuhari admin also produces the
herbicide – Lasso. In 2015, a French Appeals Court upheld the decision
of a French Court that found it guilty of the chemical poisoning of a
farmer who had used Lasso.
11. In May 2015, the European Union (EU) Parliament refrained from
taking a vote to extend the licence for the use of “Round up” in Europe.
12. In 2005, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Deferred
Prosecution Agreement (DFA) in which Monsanto admitted to violations of
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). In the case, Mosanto admitted
bribing Indonesian govt officials & telling officials to invoice
bribes as “Consulting Fees”. Mosanto also admitted to paying bribes to
high-ranking Indonesian govt officials between 1997 & 2002.
13. In 2013, Mosanto’s “Round Up Ready Wheat” which was never
approved for use by US regulators & which the company said it
stopped testing in 2003 was found on farm in Oregon. As result, Japan
& South Korea temporarily stopped importing wheat from the US for a
period of time.
14. In 2015, Burkina Faso announced that it would be phasing out
Mosanto’s GM Bt cotton from its fields. In addition, farmers in Burkina
Faso are claiming as much as $280m from the company.
15. Burkina Faso’s govt said the use of the product “…has undermined
the reputation of Burkinabè cotton & cut into its value on the
international market.”
16. In a statement by the Burkinabe govt, it cited inferior quality
of the GM Bt cotton, shorter staple length & lower ginning ratio.
17. In effect, the @MBuhari admin has licenced a company that not
only produces harmful products, but also has a track record of
concealing the harmful effects of those products to operate in #NGR.
18. In effect, the @MBuhari admin has licenced a company which
admits to bribing govt officials to conceal its activities to operate in
#NGR.
19. In effect, the @MBuhari admin has licenced a company which carries out unregulated tests of its crops & products.
20. In effect, @MBuhari admin has licenced a company which is being
phased out of Burkina Faso to produce its low quality crops in Nigeria.
21. The licencing of Mosanto to operate in Nigeria is not only
harmful to the health of Nigeria, but is a danger to its agricultural
sector and its economy.
22. We urge the @MBuhari admin to immediately revoke this licence
& revert to safer crop technologies in the interest of all Nigerians.
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