The Human Rights Court 1 rejected the interim injunction request brought by Food Sovereignty Ghana and others against the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) regarding the approval of 14 Genetically Modified (GM) crops for various uses in Ghana.

Presided over by Her Ladyship, Justice Barbara Tetteh-Charway, the court dismissed the application on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, recognizing the NBA’s thoroughness in fulfilling its legal duty to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of GM crops in Ghana's agriculture.

The NBA recently authorized the commercial utilization of 14 new GM products, comprising eight maize and six soybean varieties.

However, 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 emphasized that obtaining information from the NBA beforehand could have prevented the need for the current application.

This landmark decision represents a crucial step forward for stakeholders in biotechnology and agricultural innovation, underscoring the importance of science-based biosafety systems to enhance producer options, foster consumer trust, facilitate trade, and advance agricultural research and development.

The verdict on the main issue is slated to be delivered on Friday, May 24, 2024.

“The NBA wishes to assure Ghanaians that it remains committed to ensuring the safety of modern biotechnology in Ghana as well as continuous engagement with stakeholders in a transparent manner”, the statement from the NBA assured.