The Federal Government of Nigeria has vowed to protect the public against any harmful effects of Genetically Modified Foods (GMO).

The Director General of the National Bio-safety Management Agency, Mr Rufus Ebegba, made the promise on Friday while addressing reporters at a forum in Abuja.

He said that though the technology had its pitfalls if not properly supervised, it remains the sure way to improve food production for Nigeria’s growing population.

Mr Rufus assured Nigerians that his agency would ensure that the implementation of genetically modified organism as alternative to improving food production was properly regulated.

GMO is a scientific process where the gene from the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of a specie of animal or plant is extracted and forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal for improved yield.

One year after the Nigeria Bio-Safety Act was signed into law in 2015, the issue of whether or not to adopt genetically modified organism, also called GMO, has continued to generate heated debate.

Although several countries in the world including China and the United States have adopted GMO, Austria, Bulgaria, Italy and a host of others have refused the technology, raising concern for its health implications. (Channels TV)