FG warns against chemical fertiliser

The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has alerted the public on the danger inherent in the use of chemical fertiliser, saying it poses serious health risks that could lead to death, allergy, sickness and disability.

Omobola Johnson, supervisory minister of the ministry, while speaking at a three-day first national conference on environmental health sciences organised by the Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, disclosed that the ministry had through its agency, the National Agricultural and Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) made advances in the production of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Represented by Abayomi Oguntunde, deputy director, Department of Physical and Life Science, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, said the GM crops ensure better and safer agricultural practices because it avoided the use of chemical fertiliser which endangers the environment by killing off beneficial organisms in soil.

Noting that the theme of the conference “Environmental Health: Protecting the Ecosystems beyond the Millennium Goals” was well conceived, the minister noted that nature’s goods and services were the ultimate foundations of life and health.

She stated that defending and improving the state of the human environment for present and future generations had become an imperative goal of mankind, saying however that humans had made unprecedented changes to ecosystems in recent decades to meet the growing demands for food, fresh water, fibre and energy.

The ministry, she noted, had developed an environment friendly smokeless stove that could be used in homes to provide domestic energy for cooking, assuring that the ministry would continue to provide a credible platform that ensured that environment was healthy while protecting ecosystems beyond the millennium development goals.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi disclosed that the urban renewal programme would be extended to other parts of the country, saying despite challenges, government would continue to mobilise human and material resources towards ensuring a clean environment.

The chairman organising committee, Godson Ana, expressed hope that the conference would inaugurate the Nigeria Academy of Environmental Health, an organisation that would organise subsequent editions of the conference and publish the Nigerian Journal of Environmental Health Science.

By: Remi Feyisipo