NiMet Highlight Ability to Meet Meteorological Needs of Stakeholders

Chinedu Eze

In the efforts to strengthen its push to deliver the provisions of the Nigerian Local Content Development and Enforcement Act, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has expressed plan to drastically reduce the use of Meteorological Services from private service providers by its stakeholders mainly in the marine and oil and gas sector.

Director General of the Agency, Professor Mansur Bako Matazu made this known in Lagos at a 2-Day NEEDS Assessment Workshop for Stakeholders in the Marine and Oil and Gas Sector where he said stakeholders would be enlightened of NiMet’s activities, relate with them and try to get what their needs are and provide them with assists to develop their sector.

Professor Matazu who was represented by Director, Weather Forecasting Services, Mr. Mailadi Yusuf while speaking on the services NiMet plans to put out said, ”Well, these services are basically meteorological marine services and presently most of the services are provided by foreign service providers and private providers, not necessarily foreign, some are Nigerian and we don’t know them but we know the service going on in those sectors someone is providing those services.

On services being rendered, he highlighted Marine weather service for shipping companies that come into Nigeria waters saying that NiMet can easily handle that.

He said, ”Our clarion call to you is to understand what we do, and how we do it and assist us in doing it better in order to serve you more efficiently and improve the livelihoods and socio-economic prosperity of our dear nation, Nigeria.”

Speaking earlier in his welcome address, Professor Matazu said that the agency (NiMet) understands the growing needs and opportunities within the maritime sector stressing that as an agency, it has also grown in competencies, human and infrastructural development to meet these needs and explore the opportunities for the growth of the industry and improvement of the socio-economic development of the nation.