Legislature
Amendment to Bio -Safety Act suffers major setback as stakeholders reject proposal
***Sponsor, Yahaya Abdullahi shuns hearing
A Proposed amendment to National Bio – Safety Management Agency Act has suffered a major setback as all relevant stakeholders in the environment sector vehemently opposed it during public hearing on a bill sponsored to that effect by the former Senate Leader , Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP Kebbi North).
The Public hearing which was organised by the Senate Committee on Environment held Wednesday at the National Assembly was shunned by the sponsor of the amendment bill, Yahaya Abdullahi
Abdullahi had in the bill sought for strict regulation on foods that are genetically modified in preventing inherent health hazards .
He specifically sought for labelling of genetically modified foods in the country for consumers to know the difference between them and natural ones and recommended sanctions against violation of the proposed law.
But all the stakeholders in the bio – safety sector who were in attendance rejected the proposed legislation in the separate submissions made.
Professor Celestine Aguoru lecturer and research scientist, environmental consultant from University of Agriculture Makurdi said there is nothing wrong with the original bill what is wrong is the amendment they are proposing.
He warned that people should not propose amendment to any bill they lack requisite Knowledge on.
“Biosafety concerns regulation of the products of modern Biotechnology not Biodiversity as a whole. Every person who wants to talk about that would have to understand the reason for that not just to walk around and talk about biodiversity generally.
“The moment you do that you will conflict the work of the National Center for Disease Control which looks at the safety of the things that come from Micro organisms which is part of Biodiversity.
“Those that proposed the amendment do not understand that fact so they need to understand the concept of modern Biotechnology which is genetic engineering and also know the concept of regulation of the safety of such Products.
“They should be able to know what is achievable in the science of genetic engineering. Whoever that is proposing an amendment to a bill should have the basic knowledge. If you don’t have the knowledge then don’t talk about it.
“What they are invariably proposing is that scientists don’t have to practice the science of genetic engineering in Nigeria, they telling us go and practice it elsewhere then bring the product when it becomes perfect according to their own thinking to Nigeria
“It is not done anywhere, even the maize we are eating today was not like that originally. It went through breeding, today we have plants that bear fruits, if you look at the palm tree we have the short one now, not like the old breed that used to be very tall and takes decades to mature.
“If this proposed amendment is carried out you tie our hands, it means you are dying Scientist should no longer carryout research in the area of genetic engineering, we will relocate to environments that permit us to carryout our research and that will become unpatriotic.
“That will lead to Nigeria not advancing in science and that will lead to a major brain drain, we already have that on ground and today you are proposing a law that will drive out the remaining people. Whoever that does that is not helping the country and it is unpatriotic. That amendment is not necessary
The Director General of National Bio – Technology Development Agency ( NABDA), Professor Abdullahi Mustapha said the proposed amendment was unnecessary .
According to him , NABDA in particular and other relevant agencies have been carrying out the regulation being sought for in preventing consumption of toxic chemicals by Nigerians .
“There is no reason, there is no justification for the proposed legislation as NABDA has made significant achievements on Agriculture and Vaccines production towards checkmating consumption of toxic chemicals from modified foods and addressing the problem of insecurity .
“It is on this achievement that President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the bill now Act , making NABDA to embark on wide range of research work and accessing international grants for its scientifically and technologically driven bio – technology development”, he said .
The President of All Farmers Association in Nigeria ( AFAN) , Architect Kabiru Ibrahim also kicked against the bill by saying that Nigerian farmers are up to the task of providing food sufficiency in the country .
Dismantling the proposed legislation from legal angle, the Executive Director of Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights , Barrister Frank Tiete, said accepting the proposal will be tantamount to violation of treaty entered into by Nigeria through the existing Act with 172 other countries across the globe .
“No need for amendment of the extant law since Nigeria it is also domesticated in 172 other countries in the world.
“The proposed legislation is a very bad one that must be thrown into the trash can “, he said .
Even members of the committee from the Vice Chairman, Senator Hassan Hadeijia (APC Jigawa North East) who acted as Chairman in absence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu who is standing trial in London to the ordinary members like Senator Nnachi Michael (PDP Ebonyi South) etc , kicked against the bill by saying that preponderance of views on the bill , will decide its fate.
***Allocates N23.96 Trillion for Capital Projects, N14.31 Trillion for Debt Servicing
The Nigerian Senate along with the House of Represebtatives have passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a record-breaking budget of N54,990,165,355,396 to finance government activities in the coming fiscal year.
The budget, titled A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, was approved after deliberations on its allocations and implications for economic growth, debt management, and infrastructure development.
The chairman of the National Assemble Godswill Akpabio who is also the President of the Senate gave the beakdown of the 2025 Budget to show that Statutory Transfers: ₦3.65 trillion, debt Servicing: ₦14.32 trillion, Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure: ₦13.06 trillion and
Capital Expenditure: ₦23.96 trillion
The largest chunk of the budget, ₦23.96 trillion, was allocated for capital expenditure, aimed at infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and security.
This signals the government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.
However, the ₦14.32 trillion earmarked for debt servicing highlights the country’s rising debt burden, sparking concerns over long-term financial sustainability.
With the National Assembly approval, the budget now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s assent, after which implementation will begin. Analysts predict a challenging fiscal year, balancing economic growth with prudent spending and debt repayment.
However, time will tell whether the historic budget will deliver on its promises, or economic realities force adjustments down the line?
***Says addittional fund is to Prioritize Infrastructure, Health, Economic Growth
The chairman of the senate committee on Appropriation Senator Adeola Solomon Olamilekan has explained the approval of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by the national Assembly which it increased from N49.7 trillion to N54.99 trillion—the highest in the nation’s history.
The adjustment followed legislative reviews that uncovered additional revenues from key government agencies.
While explaining the Budget Expansion and Revenue Sources Olamilekan indicated that the additional N4.99 trillion was sourced from Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs)
These he said led to an increase in funding for critical sectors, including N1.5 trillion for Bank of Agriculture, N500 billion for Bank of Industry, 1 trillion for Ministry of Solid Minerals, N1.5 trillion for Renewable Infrastructure Fund, N300 billion – Road construction and N400 billion for Rail transport.
Others are N380 billion of Water resources, irrigation, and dam projects, N250 billion for Military barracks renovation N120 billion for New military aviation projects, N50 billion for Border security agencies
Following the suspension of U.S. health aid, which previously provided funding for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio treatments, President Tinubu approved $200 million (N300 billion) to ensure continued medical supplies and healthcare support for affected patients.
On the major Boost for Infrastructure Development he said a record N23.7 trillion has been allocated for capital projects, marking a significant leap in infrastructure investment.
He listed the areas the funds will focus on to include Roads and railways,nEducation and healthcare improvements and Other critical public infrastructure
To prevent delays in budget implementation, the 2026 budget process will begin in July 2025, with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted early and the Appropriation Bill expected by October 2025.
Concerns over inadequate rail infrastructure funding in the South East were raised, but legislative leaders clarified that rail projects are primarily funded through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
According to him, the 2025 budget focuses on light rail development in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano, while further discussions on South East projects are ongoing.
He explained that to maintain Economic Stability the budget parameters remain unchanged, with key revenue sources including FIRS increasing its revenue target to N25.1 trillion, Nigeria Customs Service boosting revenue collection through stricter enforcement and Independent revenue agencies contributing 100% of their generated funds to the federal government
The House of Representatives has directed its Joint Committee on Communications and Interior to investigate reports of unauthorized National Identification Number (NIN) linkages by telecom service providers across Nigeria.
The decision followed the unanimous adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by Hon. Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo). The House also instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe the allegations and sanction any telecom operator found guilty of violating privacy laws.
Additionally, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has been asked to clarify whether telecom providers were authorized to link NINs to subscriber lines and if such actions comply with existing regulations.
Hon. Umoh raised concerns about recent reports indicating that telecom companies have linked NINs to subscribers’ SIM cards without their consent. He warned that this unauthorized linkage exposes Nigerians to criminal activities, such as identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, which guarantee the right to privacy and the protection of personal data,” Umoh stated.
He further emphasized that while the NIN system was introduced to enhance national security and streamline identification processes, unauthorized linkages undermine public trust and jeopardize citizens’ safety.
“Aware that innocent citizens have been wrongly implicated in crimes, suffered reputational damage, harassment, and legal challenges for offenses they know nothing about, it is imperative that we address this issue immediately,” Umoh added.
The House has mandated the probe committee to submit its findings within four weeks, as lawmakers seek to protect Nigerians from potential data breaches and uphold the integrity of national security protocols.
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