Ghana Court Suspends Genetically Modified Products

An Ghanaian Accra Fast Track High Court stated the country's Ministry of Food and Agriculture cannot approve the production and sale of genetically modified (GM) products until it delivers judgment on the case brought by the Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG). A judgment will be handed down April 2.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A Ghanaian court ordered the country's Ministry of Food and Agriculture to temporarily suspend the production and sale of genetically modified (GM) products, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reported Tuesday.

Earlier, civic group Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) sued the ministry, claiming it does not have the authority to release and commercialize genetically modified cowpeas and rice, citing Ghana's National Biosafety Act.

An Ghanaian Accra Fast Track High Court stated the ministry cannot approve the sale of GM products until it delivers judgment on the case brought by the FSG. A judgment will be handed down April 2.

Ghana approved the use of GM products in 2013. Activist groups, including the FSG, have opposed the move.

In February, environmental advocacy group Friends of the Earth released a report accusing the US government of pressuring African countries to allow crops GM food.

Friends of the Earth has asserted that genetically modified foods carry potential health risks and unfairly empower transnational corporations, including US-based agriculture giant Monsanto Company, at the expense of small farmers.