NiMet Presents One hundred and Nine thousand dollars with a car to the WMO Office for NCWA in Abuja Nigeria to support its operational activities in the Sub-Region

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 - 16:20

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) presented to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) the sum of one hundred and nine thousand dollars with a car to support operational activities of the WMO Office for North Central and West Africa (NCWA) hosted in Abuja in line with the Host Country Agreement signed in 2018.

The cheque was received by Mr Bernard Edward Gomez, the Representative of the WMO Office for NCWA, on behalf of the Organization during the 2022 World Meteorological Day (WMD) celebrations in Abuja, Nigeria. The event took place at the Abdurrahman Bello Dambazau Conference Hall, Abuja.

The World Meteorological Day celebrations commemorates the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950, transiting from the International Meteorological (IMO). The theme of this year's Celebration was 'Early Warning, Early Action.' The theme highlights vital importance of Hydrometeorological and Climate Information for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and social-economic development. Part of the highlights of the day's event was the presentation of prizes to the winners of the 2022 World Meteorological Day Students Essay completion.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) joined the rest of the world to mark the World Meteorological Day (WMD) 2022. Amongst the attendees of the event were the Directors, Senior Management, and Staff of the Agency. Also present were sister Agencies in the Aviation Sector, Major Stakeholders from Nigerian Hydrological Agency (NIHSA), and Emergency Management Authorities {National, Federal, and State Emergency Agencies (NEMA, FEMA SEMA)}. Mr Bernard Edward Gomez, Representative of the WMO Office for North, Central, and West Africa (NCWA) and many more distinguished government officials and representatives attended the celebrations. The WMD also marked the first anniversary of the Director General who is also the Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of NiMet, Prof Mansur Bako Matazu.

In his keynote address, the DG/CEO of NiMet, Prof Matazu, who is also the Permanent Representative of Nigeria with WMO and Chairman, Board of Governors of the African Center of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD) located in Niamey Niger, welcomed all stakeholders joining NiMet to celebrate the World Meteorological Day (WMD). He stated that WMO is the United Nations (UN) system's authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's Atmosphere and its interaction with the Land - Ocean systems, the weather and climate it produces, and the resulting water distribution. He also stated that 23 March of every year is a day set aside for the commemoration of the convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization in 1950.

Professor Matazu further stated that, as a country, Nigeria has been a Member of WMO since 30 November 1960 and has hosted the WMO Office for North Central and West Africa since 1996.

In September 2018, Nigeria signed a new agreement with WMO to host the WMO Sub-Regional Office for North, Central, and West Africa located in Abuja. The signing ceremony coincided with the visit of the current Secretary-General of WMO, Professor Petteri Taalas. This signing of the host country agreement was held at the UN House, Abuja.

Prof Matazu further reiterated that NiMet, Hydrological, and Disaster Managers in Nigeria must work in synergy to reduce the risk associated with weather-related disasters. “This synergy has led to the adoption and co-production techniques in our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), which has served as a multi-sectoral early warning tool”, he said.More