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Despite the sustained campaign against the introduction of commercial GMOs in Ghana, including a protracted legal battle, Ghana is likely to commercialize GMOs in three years, according to information sourced by ghanabusinessnews.com.
Early this year, Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) a food advocacy organisation, sued the National Biosafety Committee and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, over the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) cowpeas and rice.
According to news reports, the FSG cited Section 13 of the Biosafety Act, 2011, (Act 831), which states that only the National Biosafety Authority has the power to authorise the commercial release of GM foods in Ghana. At that time, it argued that the National Biosafety Authority has not been inaugurated, and therefore, GMOs can’t be commercialized in Ghana.
FSG argued further that Ghana is a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and Article 23 of the Protocol requires Parties, on their own and in cooperation with other States and international bodies, to promote and facilitate public awareness and education, including access to information, regarding the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms.
But with the inauguration of a 13-member Board of Directors of the National Biosafety Authority in February 2015, the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer and Cabinet having approved the Regulations on Biosafety Law in April 2015, the likelihood of Ghana commercializing some GM crops in three years has increased.
Read full, original post: Ghana to commercialize GM crops in three years
