By Ignatius Ushie
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), unites with the globe to celebrate the convention establishing the World Meteorological Organisation. The World Meteorological Day is March 23.
This year’s celebration was held at the NiMet headquarters Abuja, and had in attendance representatives of the World Meteorological Organisation, (WMO), FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other critical stakeholders.
The 2023 World Meteorological Day is adorned with the theme- The Future of Weather, Climate and Water Across Generations.
Explaining this in his remarks, the Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu who was represented by the Director, Research and Training NiMet, Prof. Effiom Oku, said the theme reflects topical weather, climate and water-related issues.
Describing NiMet’s effort in meteorological services, DG/CEO NiMet revealed that, with the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, NiMet has invested in meteorological data generation over land, water and atmosphere, for past assessments and future predictions including nowcasting.
Furthermore, he noted that the agency renders services targeted at building sustainable economic development in Nigeria for stakeholders in aviation, agriculture, construction, tourism, defence, water resources management, as well as telecommunications, and environment.
He added that the agency has a culture practice of public private partnership and has signed memorandum with universities and different organisations to promote the science of meteorology and enhance the fulfilment of its mandate.
The DG further stressed on the need to encourage the creation of awareness on the dangers of climate change and provide opportunities as well as proffer solutions that mitigate climate disasters in the world.
Reiterating on the need for partnership, the World Meteorological Organisation’s representative for North, Central and West Africa, Dr. Gomez Bernard, disclosed that strong partnerships are required for the successful implementation of the Early Warning for All initiative, tailored to enable adequate preparations for extreme weather events and consequently mitigate climate disaster impact as enunciated by WMO.
Dr. Bernard further noted that the WMD anniversary serves as a reminder of acceleration in climate change and emphasized on the need for urgent action to ensure the survival of future generations on the planet.
Highlights of the event include drama presentation by Young Met Ambassadors which comprise students from some secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory. Prizes were also awarded to schools that excelled in the essay competition organised by NiMet.
The 2023 WMD celebration coincides with WMO’s 150 anniversary.
