Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, has said that the achievements recorded at Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) under his watch was made possible because of synergy that existed between the political class and technocrats in the agency during the period.
Sirika who made this known in his address during the 76th session of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Executive Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, recently, therefore urged WMO to intensify effort in encouraging cooperation among members and assist in bridging the existing gap between the political class and the experts on the field.
Speaking at the session where NiMet and India Met. Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the minister stated that new products like Seasonal Climate Prediction (including its Summary for Policy Makers and translated version), the State of the Climate in Nigeria, Climate and Health Bulletin, Hydrometeorological bulletin, Agrometeorological bulletin, Extreme Weather Events Bulletin, Marine meteorological bulletin, three day impact based Forecast and many more on different time scales and validity, were some of the products introduced by NiMet during his administration.
He added that the products and other specially packaged services have generated lots of interest up to the Presidency, which impressed the President to personally commissioning a national Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology in his home State and in his honour.
Sirika went further to say that there is increased inter-agency synergy along the Climate Services Value Chain, bringing together the meteorological, hydrological, disaster management and all responders together to develop and practice Multi-hazard Early Warning System for All Nigerians.
“NiMet forecasts provide basis for the Annual Flood Outlook and Disaster Preparedness in Nigeria by both Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and National Emergency Management Agency (who are in two separate ministries of Government).
“The Agency has provided interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Malawi in terms of Capacity Building. Technical Assistance, Quality Management Systems and Competency framework.
“We have successfully hosted, providing leadership, and participated in Regional Climate Outlook Forums. Nigeria was recently part of and led the Country Hydromet Diagnostic (CHD) in Liberia and Sierra Leone, we hosted a study visit by both National Meteorological Services of Republic of Niger and The Gambia. We provided hosting support for the WMO HydroSOS initiative and earnestly working to take the initiative to the implementation phase, and just on Tuesday, we are part of the SOFF Initiative as well.
“All these are signs that we can get it right with strong commitment and political support in our NMHSs. We have also encouraged NiMet in pursuing PPE. This is exactly what we are doing at the Ministry of Aviation,” he said; even as he warned, that Government funding will never be enough.
