From Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja
The World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have invited the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), to support their climate/weather services initiatives in some African countries and beyond. The beneficiary nations are Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia and Singapore.
The synergy was in recognition of NiMet’s record in providing quality services and its attainment of ISO 9001: 2015 certification of its aeronautical meteorological services.
Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, Director General, NiMet, revealed this when a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), visited NiMet headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.
He said NiMet was mandated to promote the application of meteorological information to address development, which essentially was what the Global Framework for Application of Climate Services was all about.
He disclosed that Nigeria produced National Framework for the Application of Climate Services (NFACS), awaiting presidential approval and explained the pivotal role NiMet played in its preparation.
He listed NiMet’s activities to include support services to Liberia and Sierra Leone; provision of technical support to the ECOWAS Commission and acceptance to train meteorologists in Benin Republic and the Gambia.
Dr. Johnson Boanuh, Director of Environment of the ECOWAS Commission, who led the delegation said they were in NiMet to acquaint themselves and their programmes with the new management.
He expressed appreciation for the agency’s support of the commission and the Regional Office for World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in Nigeria.
He said the WMO and the Global Framework for Climate Services Secretariat in Geneva established office in Dakar, Senegal, to support and facilitate the establishment of National Framework for Application of Climate Services (NFACS) in all ECOWAS states.
“A part of the programme drawn to facilitate the establishment of the NFACS is geared towards strengthening the capacities of the various National Hydro-Meteorological Services to meet their obligations,”n hen disclosed.