By Ignatius Ushie
As beneficiaries of the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) look forward to this year’s event, the Director-General of the agency, Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi has assured that the organisation is now better placed than before to deliver on its mandates and responsibilities.
According to the Director-General, the level of attention given to the agency by the Federal Government has been such that has propelled it to record massive achievements, even at a time that other sectors of the economy have suffered as a result of dwindling resources occasioned by the global economic recession and the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement made available to Transport Day, Professor Mashi reiterated his agency’s preparedness to continue rendering credible and reliable services to all relevant sectors, especially those that have always looked forward to, and relied on its annual predictions as a guide for their own business activities.
He disclosed that the Seasonal Climate Prediction, which will be done by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, will remain the most reliable source of weather and climate information in the country.
He further disclosed that physical attendance at the event will be highly regulated as part of efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, with attendance strictly by invitation. Mashi however assured that all the resources related to the SCP will be made available online for easy access.
The Seasonal Climate Prediction is meant to ensure that Nigerians develop a high level of preparedness for the challenges that climate might pose in year 2021, as well as exploit the opportunities it might present.
NIMET, according to him, provides aviation weather services and issues weather reports to contribute to safety improvement and efficiency of air navigation.
It also provides Oceanographic information for marine users both at sea and along the coast thereby making the decision-making process during weather-sensitive operations more efficiently.
NIMET, he reiterated, is responsible for providing flood forecasting services which include flood warnings and advisories to help meet the comprehensive need to protect life and property.
