Chiefs Threaten Demo Against Parliament

The Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs has threatened to go on demonstration if Parliament goes ahead with the passage of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) or the Plant Breeder Bill (PBB). In a resolution signed by its President, Pemampem Yaw Kagbrese, the chiefs called for the abrogation or suspension of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) or the Plant Breeders Bill (PBB) till a concrete position is given on the terms of research. According to the Chiefs, they agree that the Plant Breeders Bill should be suspended for the time being for wider consultation to be made before a final decision is made to either go for it or not. However, if Parliament refuses and goes ahead with its passage, Nananom will have no option but to go on a demonstration to press home their point. The Chiefs made this resolution after an awareness creation workshop on the PBB and GMO in Ghana, organized by the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) and the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, under the sponsorship of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Star Ghana in Sunyani. All the 45 Paramountcies and 4 Divisional Councils from the 49 traditional areas forming the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs resolved that after being aware of the need for food sovereignty in Ghana and educated on the PBB and GMOs, Ghana should identify the advantages and disadvantages of the GMO and also insist on labeling all genetically modified foods for easy identification. According to the Brong-Ahafo Chiefs, the PBB should be critically examined so that Ghanaians can comfortably take a stance whether to go for it or not, noting that if it is about food sustainability, GMO is not the answer. Pemampem Yaw Kagbrese on behalf of the house indicated that the challenges confronting farmers which needed critical attention include food transportation to the bigger markets, access to land, new methods of improving agriculture and storage facilities among others. He emphasized that the PBB should be suspended after realizing that it was being pushed in the interest of multinational Companies and not in the interest of the good people of Ghana. The Regional President advised that the issue of GMO should not be looked at in isolation but also take into consideration the numerous chemicals that causes damage to lands, adding that the most important thing that would benefit farmers is to promote local seed preservation or have in place a seed bank to promote traditional food crops. According to the Chiefs, permitting GMO in Ghana will conflict with the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since Europe does not accept GMFs. The Chiefs concluded that the Plant Breeder Bill should be suspended or abrogated till the advanced countries have given a concrete stance on it in terms of research.