NASS will reinforce policies to advance NiMet’s productivity – Rep Nnaji

The National Assembly (NASS) will work out policies to advance over-all output of Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Rep. Nnoli Nnaji, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, said on Monday in Abuja.

Nnaji, who spoke during an oversight visit of the committee to the agency, said that NASS would take all necessary actions to enact policies to boost NiMet products and services to grow national economy.

According to him, NiMet will be upgraded to be a world class provider of weather and climate services for safety and sustainable national socio-economic development.

“We want NiMet to advance in observing Nigerian Weather and climate, and provide meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic services in support of national needs and international obligations,” he said.

Earlier, NiMet’s Director General, Prof. Sani Mashi, had stated that the core activities of the agencies included observation, analysis and reporting accurately, weather and climate conditions of the country at all times.

The director general pleaded to NASS to support policies that would help the agency to fully actualise its stated aims and objectives.

He listed challenges confronting NiMet to include ineffective legal instrument, low allocation for capital projects, low overhead remittance, arbitrary withholding of revenue by agencies and lack of transparency in aviation revenue disbursement.

Others included lack of general appreciation of critical activities and non-patronage by critical sectors like Maritime, Oil and Gas, among others.

According to him, the agency carries out the activities through ground-based, upper air, satellite-based observations, modelling and forecasting.

He said that the agency had strategically planned to improve services through management and technical infrastructure, operational forecasting and early warning system.

Others included automation of observation network, provision of climate services to non-aviation sectors, among others.

According to him, NiMET is focused on developing new commercial services, training, education and capacity building, research and development, general staff welfare and improved reward system.

“We also want to improve IT and data management and enhance collaboration toward international cooperation,” he added.