The Federal Government on Thursday pledged to increase its investment in meteorological data generation to improve weather prediction across the country.
Prof. Mansur Matazu, the Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) made the promise during his keynote address on the occasion of the World Meteorological Day.
The Federal Government had been investing in meteorological data generation over land, water and in the atmosphere, said Matazu, who was represented at the event by Prof. Effiom Oku, NiMet Director, Research and Training.
“In NiMet, we have placed special importance in the future generations by working with the young minds in the country”.
“Usually, our weather observers are largely youths who begin their careers in the field of meteorology at a very young age. Similarly, we have designed, developed and implemented a programme called Young Meteorological Ambassadors whose members are here today”, he said.
He said a Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) had been signed between the agency and several universities in Nigeria as part of efforts to promote the science of meteorology within the academic institutions at tertiary level to support national and regional development.
He said that NiMet continued to render services in support of aviation, agriculture, construction, tourism, defence, water resources management, telecommunications, environment and communications among others.
Read also: No nation immune to climate change, says NiMet DG
According to him, the development of NiMet`s products and services include the effective utilization of young minds as well as the experienced ones within the agency creating innovations “to what it does and how it does them”.
“This has positively impacted on our routine publications and on-demand services such as the Seasonal Climate Prediction as part of the Agency’s meteorological Early Warning System in line with the United Nations Early Warning for ALL”.
“Other products and services include Hydrometeorological Bulletin, Annual State of Climate report in Nigeria, Agrometeorological Bulletin, Climate and Health Bulletin, Daily weather outlooks and bulletins, TV weather forecasts, Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts, Marine Bulletin, and impact-Based Weather Forecast. Multitudes of other routine and on-demand products and services cutting across all socio-economic sectors, “ he said.
The NiMet boss said the agency was also working to preserve its past resources in terms of publications and instrumentation, while developing new ones to provide a robust knowledge base for the upcoming generations.
He urged every Nigerian to invest in future generations and create awareness on the dangers of climate change such as extreme weather and loss of livelihoods by making the World a safer place for All.
Story was adapted from VON.
