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PRESS STATEMENT: BIOSECURITY; AN INTEGRAL PART IN SAFEGUARDING THE NATION – MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT
The Honorable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako has stated that bio-risk management is important to safeguarding and protecting the safety of the environment and human health, and the nation at large.
He stated this at the opening remarks of a two-day Executive Leadership Training on Bio-risk Management, organized by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in collaboration with the Health Security Partnership (HSP) today (6th of November, 2023), in Abuja. The honorable minister of state further explained that “the training is crucial and important at this time, especially as this current administration holds biosecurity integral and topmost part of safety for this nation”.
This training is apt as it is the responsibility of all leaders to ensure we are well prepared to resolve challenges of bio-risk management in recent times and this training will help to ensure we collaborate to enhance the security of our nation which is one major focus of NBMA
The Director General /CEO of the National Biosafety Management Agency, Dr. Agnes Yemisi Asagbra, explained that the agency is responsible for ensuring that biosafety and biosecurity measures are implemented to ensure the safety of human health, the environment, and the nation at large. Dr. Asagbra emphasized that “bio-risk management transcends beyond academic and theoretical exercise, but is imperative to our nation with profound implications for the safety of our environment, human health, and national security. “In today’s dynamic and ever-changing landscape, it is important we respond effectively to bio-risks to define our resilience and preparedness”.
Dr. Asagbra highlighted that the core objective of the training is to understand the impact bio-risks have on our ecosystems, economies, and the general well-being of the nation. “Therefore, this training would empower leaders to understand the latest scientific advancements and also learn best practices, and explore innovative solutions that would strengthen and safeguard our environment, human health, and the well-being of the nation”. The program Manager from Health Security Partners, Rebecca Sherrod, commended the expertise of the National Biosafety Management and all stakeholders and also enjoined everyone to become an ambassador of biosecurity.
Other stakeholders and professionals assured that the curriculum and aspects of biosafety and biosecurity would be implemented in research activities and institutions. The two-day training program has in attendance, representatives from the office of the National Security Adviser, research institutes, academia and stakeholders in the biosafety/biosecurity sector in the country.
