) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), says it is determined to intensify efforts toward providing timely, accurate and reliable weather and climate information to guide policy and decision making.
Prof. Sani Marshi, NiMet Director-General, said this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja,
Marshi said NiMet was ready to work harder to achieve the feat by providing weather and climate advisories to its stakeholders across all sectors.
The director-general said the main aim of intensifying effort was to promote national development through accurate, timely weather and climate information.
“We do this in fulfilment of the mandates of the Agency as contained in its Establishment Act of 2003.
“ Water is one of the most precious commodities of the 21st century. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency is therefore central to efforts to count every drop because every drop of water counts in Nigeria.
“We therefore need to measure and monitor water well because it is only if we do the two that we can manage water very well. We simply cannot manage what we don’t know much about, ”Marshi said.
He said raising profile of water in the climate debate was the aim of celebrating of World Meteorological Day (WMD), and 2020 World Water Day.
“ NiMet commemorate with other bodies for this year’s celebration of World Meteorological Day with the theme: “Climate Change and Water- Count every drop, every drop Counts.
“The 2020 World Water Day and World Meteorological Day are therefore both dedicated to Climate and Water.
“By uniting the two international observances, which fall on March 22, and March 23, respectively, the aim is to raise the profile of water in the climate debate,” he said.
Marshi said the World Meteorological Day was being celebrated across the world by more than 190 World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Member States/Countries on March 23, annually using a particular chosen theme.
He said the day was chosen in order to commemorate the coming into force on March 23, 1950 of the Convention establishing the WMO.
According to him, the celebration would showcase the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological services to the safety and wellbeing of societies in the world.
“One of the underlying messages of 2020 WMD is that we can’t manage what we don’t monitor and measure.
“Water data collection and sharing underpin hydrological monitoring and forecasting and flood and drought early warning services.
“Amid COVID-19 pandemic, estimated three billion people worldwide lack basic hand washing facilities.
“The growing demand for water increases need for energy-intensive water pumping, transportation and treatment, and has contributed to the degradation of critical water-dependent carbon sinks such as peat lands.
“ Some climate change mitigation measures, such as the expanded use of biofuels, are exacerbating water scarcity, “ he said.
He said climate and water data underpinned management of surface-water supplies and disaster risk reduction that included calculations of the frequency and duration of heavy rainfall, the probable maximum precipitation and flood forecasting.
The director-general said one of the greatest impacts of climate change was water that could pose serious threat to sustainable development and security. (NAN)