NBA Management and Board Must resign and face criminal charges for Feeding Zambians without Consent or Knowledge GMO Products
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
The Natolional Biosafety Authority Scientific Advisory Committee Chairperson Dr. Sody Munsaka says the GMO mealie-meal from South Africa is safe.
He has also disclosed that Zambians are already consuming GMO Products such as cornflakes, some soups such as Bisto, premixes, spices, some biscuits, Starch, maize grit and dog food, that were assessed by the authority and the risk-assesment concluded that the products were safe.
Clearly the Biosafety Authority Management and Board need to immediately resign.
Further, criminal negligence charges must be considered for them to allow the importation and feeding Zambians on GMO products without following the laid down procedure as provided for by the Biosafety Act of 2007.
The Act prohibits the importation of GMO products that relate to crops and livestock of national importance, which maize is.
Further, the Act provides for public consultation before GMO Products are importated for the country or in transit.
The Biosafety Act No. 10 of 2007, Section 11(1) states that;
The Authority shall not grant any approval for the importation, development,, production, release into the environment or placing on the market of any genetically modified organism or product of a genetically modified organisms relating to any crop or livestock OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE AND FOOD SECURITY!
Further, Section 14 obligates the Buosafety Authority to conduct public consultation and public participation.
Sect 14(1) states that the Authority shall consult the public prior to the grant of any authorisation.
Below is the BSA Statement.
GMO MEALIE MEAL FROM SOUTH AFRICA IS SAFE
As the Authority assures that risk assessment has been conducted on the maize events
CHILANGA, ZAMBIA- THE National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has assured the nation that the mealie meal from South Africa produced from genetically modified maize is safe for consumption.
The Authority is working with other Government institutions to ensure that mealie meal that may contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be imported and transited through the country is from the maize varieties that have been authorized by the NBA.
The Authority, working together with the Ministry of Agriculture, has been notifying anyone importing mealie meal or any other products which may contain GMOs on the need to obtain authorization from the NBA.
The NBA has conducted risk assessments on maize and soya varieties from South Africa and have been found to be safe for human and animal consumption. The Authority has previously granted permits for products made from GMO maize or which may contain GMOs to various distributors and traders in the country.
“We have conducted risk assessments on soya beans and all maize varieties from South Africa and these have been found to be safe for humans, animals and the environment. Therefore, all products including mealie meal produced from the assessed maize varieties are safe for human and animal consumption,”
NBA Scientific Advisory Committee Chairperson Dr. Sody Munsaka says.
“Among the products containing GMO maize or Soya beans from South Africa that the Authority has permitted into the country include cornflakes, some soups such as Bisto, premixes, spices, some biscuits, Starch, maize grit and dog food.”
Risk Assessment is the process through which the Scientific Advisory Committee ascertains the safety of products before the Authority grants a permit or rejects an application.
“Therefore, we would like to assure the general public that the mealie meal from the assessed maize by the Scientific Advisory Committee is safe, even if it is spilled or dropped in the country or people accidentally consumed it, it cannot cause any harm based on the comfort ascertained through risk assessment.”
-Ends
ISSUED BY: SANDRA LOMBE
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Email: sandra.lombe@nbazambia.org.zm/ biosafetyzambia @gmail.com/lombe2 @ gmail.com +260211278316/ 0977854716/0961439503
About NBA
NBA was established under the Biosafety Act No. 10 of 2007. Through the Act the NBA regulates the research, development, application, importation, export, transit, contained use, release or placing on the market of any GMO/LMO whether intended for use as a pharmaceutical, food, feed or processing, or a product of a GMO also to ensure that any activity involving the use or a product of GMO prevents any socio-economic impact
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