The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia, has advocated for increased funding for the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), considering their significant roles to ensure effective performance in the sector.
He stated that the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) is understaffed of scientists and urged them to find innovative ways to increase their Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
The Chairman made the clarion call when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science, and Technology recently visited the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the National Bio-safety Authority for a familiarization tour as part of its oversight mandate.
In his remarks, the Ranking Member of the Committee, Hon. Hamza Adam pointed out the importance of the National Biosafety Authority, in ensuring food regularization since unapproved genetically modified foods have become the order of the day.
At the Environmental Protection Authority, its CEO Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse indicated that the EPA is creating awareness against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and urged pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the right drugs to control the bacteria. She also advocated for waste segregation to control plastic waste pollution.
During the briefing at the National Biosafety Authority, the CEO Mr. Kwame Dei Asamoah Okyere pointed out that they have received reports that some unapproved genetically modified foods (GMO) are on the market and outlined measures being put in place to address the situation. He mentioned some challenges the Authority is facing, including inadequate funding, staff high attrition rate, and the scope of the biosafety law, which did not include regulation of biosafety and biosecurity of laboratories for medical, manufacturing, and research institutions.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
