The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having no care for the welfare and health of Nigerians.

This is contained in a statement released on Monday by its director, New Media, Deji Adeyanju.

The statement reads, “On May 1, 2016 the National Biosafety Management Agency issued a licence to Mosanto Agriculture (Nig) Limited authorising it to place genetically modified cotton on the Nigerian market for commercial use.

“On the same day, NBMA also issued a licence to MAL authorising it to commence Confined Field Trials (CFT) on genetically modified corn (NK603 & MON 89034 x NK603) with Permit No: NBMA/C FT/001.

“MAL is a subsidiary of Mosanto Company, a US based Agriculture Company. It produces genetically modified seeds & crops as well as glyphosate based herbicides.

“We are concerned that President Buhari is licencing a company that produces controversial and dangerous crops and products to participate in the agriculture sector in Nigeria. Furthermore, this company has shown a willingness to participate in corrupt practices in global circles.

“The company the Buhari administration is licensing to produce corn for consumption by Nigerians was the sole producer of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned in 1979 due to its link to birth defects and cancer in laboratory animals and adverse skin and liver effects in humans.

“In May 2016, a St Louis jury awarded damages in the sum of $46.5m for negligence in handling PCBs which caused the plaintiffs to contract non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of cancer. Amongst other things, the jury determined that Mosanto had known that its PCBs were a dangerous health hazard since 1955 but covered that fact up. This is the company the Buhari administration has licenced to operate in Nigeria.”

He added, “Mosanto is the manufacturer of the herbicide – Round up, a glyphosate based herbicide. In March 2015, the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) classified glyphosate as a Group 2A carcinogen which is “probably” able to cause cancer in humans.

“The Company licenced by the Buhari administration also produces the herbicide – Lasso. In 2015, a French Appeals Court upheld the decision of a French Court that found it guilty of the chemical poisoning of a farmer who had used Lasso.

“In May 2015, the European Union (EU) Parliament refrained from taking a vote to extend the licence for the use of “Round up” in Europe. In 2005, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DFA) in which Monsanto admitted to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). In the case, Mosanto admitted bribing Indonesian govt officials and telling officials to invoice bribes as “Consulting Fees”. Mosanto also admitted to paying bribes to high-ranking Indonesian govt officials between 1997 & 2002.

“In 2013, Mosanto’s “Round Up Ready Wheat” which was never approved for use by US regulators and which the company said it stopped testing in 2003 was found on farm in Oregon. As result, Japan and South Korea temporarily stopped importing wheat from the US for a period of time.

“In 2015, Burkina Faso announced that it would be phasing out Mosanto’s GM Bt cotton from its fields. In addition, farmers in Burkina Faso are claiming as much as $280m from the company.

“Burkina Faso’s govt said the use of the product “…has undermined the reputation of Burkinabè cotton & cut into its value on the international market.”

“In a statement by the Burkinabe govt, it cited inferior quality of the GM Bt cotton, shorter staple length & lower ginning ratio.

“In effect, the Buhari administration has licenced a company that not only produces harmful products, but also has a track record of concealing the harmful effects of those products to operate in Nigeria.

“In effect, the Buhari administration has licenced a company which admits to bribing government officials to conceal its activities to operate in Nigeria.

“In effect, the Buhari administration has licenced a company which carries out unregulated tests of its crops and products.

“In effect, Buhari administration has licenced a company which is being phased out of Burkina Faso to produce its low quality crops in Nigeria.

“The licencing of Mosanto to operate in Nigeria is not only harmful to the health of Nigeria, but is a danger to its agricultural sector and its economy.

“We urge the Buhari administration to immediately revoke this licence and revert to safer crop technologies in the interest of all Nigerians.”