FG Pledges to Investigate Recent Development in Bio-Risk Management

By Ojugbele Omotunde
The Minister of State for the Environment, Dr. Ishaq Salako has pledged to investigate the most recent developments in bio-risk management in order to improve environmental safety.
At the two-day Executive Leadership Training on Bio-risk management, which was arranged by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and Health Security Partners, Salako made this announcement on Monday, November 6, 2023, in Abuja.
According to him, the training program will provide the stakeholders with the chance to learn about the most recent developments in bio-risk management, examine case studies, and participate in practical exercises that will improve their combined skills.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to bio-risk management, emphasizing the need for leaders to learn from experts and safeguard the environment.
“Given the challenges posed by emerging diseases, bioterrorism threats, and the potential consequences of accidental laboratory releases, the management of biological risks is no longer an option—rather, it is a necessity.
“We must all work together to prioritize leadership in this area, readiness, and education if we are to successfully handle these issues.
“I want to emphasize the crucial part that everyone of you plays in guaranteeing the security of our country, the safety of our environment, and the health of our population as we set off on this path of learning and collaboration today.
“Scientists, regulators, legislators, and everyone else involved in ensuring the security of our environment and health must work together to address the difficulties we confront,”he said.
The minister expressed hope that after the training, the participants will have a clear understanding of how to increase group resilience and be better equipped to handle today’s biorisk management concerns.
The NBMA’s Director-General, Dr. Agnes Asagbra, stated that the workshop would include the most recent developments in science, optimal regulatory methods, and the exchange of seasoned practitioners’ experiences.
“Bio-risk management is a crucial real-world imperative for environmental safety, human health protection, and nation security, demonstrating resilience and preparedness in the rapidly changing landscape.
“Therefore, I stand before you with a sense of immense responsibility; one that reflects the seriousness of the issues we confront and the faith that our nation and society have in us,” he said.
According to Asagbra, the stakeholders’ awareness of the potential effects that bio-risks could have on ecosystems, economies, and the health and well-being of citizens made the meeting necessary.
“Our objective is admirable, and the importance of our work cannot be overstated. The agency is tasked with establishing protocols to guarantee biosafety and biosecurity.
“Everyone who attends this executive leadership course will be equipped with the knowledge, abilities, and understanding required to not only lead with vision and purpose, but also to lessen the hazards posed by bio-risks.
“Health Security Partners, I sincerely thank you for your years of unwavering support and collaboration toward our shared mission; it has been essential to this training,” he said.
Furthermore, the agency was lauded by Prof. Jesse Uneke, Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, for holding a workshop to generate suggestions for the organization’s future direction.
He went on to say that the agency was moving in the right path and cooperating with the current government.
Health Security Partners’ coordinator, Rebecca Lyerly, stated that the organization was dedicated to working with the agency in the field of biosafety in order to protect national security.