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NAFDAC Assures Of Efforts Against Use Of Hazardous Pesticides

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Joel Ajayi

Amid concerns about the influx of toxic pesticides into Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured citizens of its zero tolerance for using unwholesome chemicals.

The assurance is coming on the heels of an investigation conducted by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and published by the International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), which revealed that some hazardous pesticides banned in Europe are being used in Nigeria despite attempts by NAFDAC to clamp down on the importation of harmful chemicals into the country.

NAFDAC’s Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr. Leonard Omakpariola, gave the promise during an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by PRIMORG, Wednesday in Abuja.

According to Omakpariola, the agency makes painstaking and rigorous efforts to ensure hazardous chemicals or pesticides don’t get into the Nigerian agricultural space, stressing that “NAFDAC does not register banned pesticides.”

Speaking on modalities and processes pesticides are subjected to before being certified for use, Omakpariola said: ”NAFDAC as an agency is an international agency. We use best international practices in all our operations.

“MDAs, the British Food and Drug Authority, the Indian Food and Drug Authority and many others train our officers. Coming to pesticide registration issues, we have our processes for registering pesticides. Whatever pesticide wishes to be registered, we first have to ensure it is not hazardous.

“Before a pesticide is registered, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture must come in, and they must do what is referred to as a field trial in conjunction with research institutions, and after they are done, we commence the registration process. If the pesticides are produced here in Nigeria, we carry out inspections, we review all their documents, analyze submitted samples in our laboratories – that’s what we do,” Omakpariola explained.

He, however, faulted the European Union (EU) for slamming ban on some pesticides, noting that most of the actions by Western countries are based on economic reasons.

On his part, the Programme Coordinator of the Sustainable Nigeria Programme, Heinrich Boll Foundation, Donald Ikenna Ofoegbu, called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to rise to the occasion in the fight against the influx of harmful pesticides in the country.

Ofoegbu urged the Ministry of Agriculture to sensitize farmers on the risk associated with using pesticides while pointing out that “despite a lot of budget allocation going in favour of conventional pesticides, there is the issue of standard, a lot of adulteration, no tracking, no monitoring of qualities of chemicals that come into the country.

“NAFDAC is trying their best regarding registration regulation, NESREA is doing their best in the environmental side, but the middle where the chemicals are being used is a big problem. It’s a big Lacuna, so the Ministry of Agriculture needs to wake up and see how they bridge the gap on how pesticides are used in farms.

He warned that the use of harmful pesticides in the country exposes the citizens to serious health dangers besides the economic loss, noting that a long list of Nigerian cash crops is being rejected globally due to their high pesticide residues.

“Our common beans, Which is highly exported, are rejected. We have sesame, cocoa, cassava; there is a long list of them, even yam – all because of pesticide residue,” Ofoegbu stated.

Towing the same line, Engr. Prof. Simon Irtwange urged NAFDAC to work with related agencies to better regulate the use of pesticides in the country, warning that Nigerians are at risk of getting sick more frequently if they continue consuming foods with high pesticide residues.

He noted that there’s no law in Nigeria at the moment regulating the use of pesticides, adding that it is also abnormal that NAFDAC, as the agency that regulates agro-based pesticides, does not have a single agronomist in their ranks.

“I expect NAFDAC to work together with every other person and agency in that space and see how we (Nigeria) can regulate pesticides for the health of our people,” Irtwange.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

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How Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso Repositioning the Raw Materials Sector For Economic Diversification

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By Joel Ajayi

As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.

This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.

Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council,  RMRDC, the  Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago.

This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.

The RMRDC, operating under the Federal

The Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.

Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Speaking this during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.

According to him, in the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.

“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include,  refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations;

“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”

While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.

“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information. erships to drive our mission forward.

“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC) at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations. 

“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research [JORMAR] will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector. 

“The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.

The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.

Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program. 

“Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.

“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance

“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.

“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance

“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.

“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.

He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.

“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.

“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria. 

DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.

In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.

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