The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has declared that apart from COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged the global economy in the past few years, that climate change and climate variability continued to be a reality which Nigerians cannot shy away from.
Speaking during his keynote address at the presentation of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Centre in Abuja, Sirika noted that many disastrous weather and climate events had continued to increase in intensity and frequency, bringing untold hardship to the people and straining further already fragile economy.
The Minister commended the theme of this year’s Seasonal Climate Prediction: “Strengthening Climate Actions through Timely and Impact-based Climate Prediction for Economic Recovery, advising that, every sector of the economy must therefore, put in place measures to alleviate the sufferings of the people and improve the economy.
He equally applauded NiMet for the diligence put in place continously to bring to Nigeria’s weather and climatological forecasts touching on different areas of their socio-economic lives in accordance with its mandate.
The SCP contains information on: onset and cessation dates of the cropping season, length of the growing period, rainfall amount, temperature forecasts for the hot season (January to April) and dry spell and little dry season while it also contains information that has to do with malaria and meningitis vigilance, and socio economic implications of the prediction.
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Sirika at the event reminded the audience how in recent weeks, Nigeria’s aviation industry had witnessed many flights cancellation and delays due to bad weather causing economic losses and social discomfort.
The minister cited recently how airline operators in the country had lamented losing a whopping sum of about N20 billion due to flight delays and cancellations in 2021 alone due to bad weather as attested to by the Vice President of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON ), Mr Allen Onyema.
In his presentation, Director General / CEO of NiMet, Professor Mansur Bako Matazu described the Seasonal Climate Prediction as one of NiMet’s flagship products and invaluable tool that had helped lots of farmers improve their yields.
According to him, SCP had also helped increase and improve the level of preparedness by Emergency Management Agencies, complement the flood prediction by Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), and served as an advisory tool for many stakeholders at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.
While noting that the content of the document was multi-sectoral, which will co-produce socio-economic implications of the predictions and relevant stakeholders, Matazu emphasized the importance of SCP to nation building.
Matazu who is a permanent representative of Nigeria with World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) declared: “We are all living witnesses to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and how many economies have struggled. In Nigeria, one of the pathways for economic recovery is agriculture. However, many of the agricultural practices are climate dependent and largely rain fed. It is important to recognize the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria on developing the agricultural sector for sustainable green economy, focusing on food system development agenda that will lift hundred (100) million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade”.
He however, informed that in compliance with government’s progressive agenda, that NiMet was excited to push this vision and help in the recovery of the economy after the trying phase where the global pandemic affected some of the gains made previously through agriculture.
“The vagaries of weather and climate is not limited to agriculture. Other socio-economic sectors also have weather and climate as a critical component. That is why the SCP, which will be unveiled today by the Minister of Aviation, is very essential for all “, he said.
According to the DG, the challenges of variability in climate viz a viz global warming which had in recent times given rise to high rainfall amounts occurring within a short duration had made flash flood episodes more frequent.
The NiMet boss who equally appealed for strong collaboration with organisations of government at all levels, maintained that NiMet services cut across aviation, telecommunications, power and energy, agriculture, building and construction, oil & gas, disaster risk reduction & management, education, defense, marine & maritime, health, finance & insurance, among others, in support of sustainable socio-economic activities in Nigeria.
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