Court dismisses injunction against approval of 14 GMO products in Ghana

The Human Rights Court 1 has dismissed the interlocutory injunction application filed by Food Sovereignty Ghana and others against the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) over the approval given for the registration of 14 GMO crops for food, feed, and processing in Ghana.

The court presided over by Her Ladyship, Justice Barbara Tetteh-Charway in dismissing the application on Tuesday April 30, 2024, acknowledged the NBA’s diligence in executing its statutory mandate in ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of GMOs crops within Ghana’s agricultural sector.

Read also: Ghana has not granted approval for 14 GM seeds for cultivation - NBA

Food Sovereignty Ghana and others on April 10, 2024, filed the motion for interlocutory injunction to restrain the National Biosafety Committee and 4 others from “releasing into the Ghanaian ecosystem any GM product”.

The court also admonished that seeking information from the NBA would have averted the filing of the present application. The landmark ruling marks a significant milestone for actors in the biotechnology and agricultural innovation space and affirms that science-based functional biosafety systems are important to expand producer choice, inspire consumer confidence, facilitate trade and promote agricultural research and development.

The ruling of the substantive matter is scheduled for Friday, May 24, 2024.

The NBA in a statement dated April 30, 2024, assured Ghanaians of its commitment to ensuring the safety of modern biotechnology in Ghana as well as continuous engagement with stakeholders in a transparent manner.