Reps move to strengthen NIMET for national safety

The House Committee on Aviation Technology Chairman, Rep. Tajudeen Abisodun, on Tuesday reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to strengthening the services of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to enhance national safety.

Abisodun made the remarks during a public hearing on a Bill to Amend the Nigerian Meteorological Agency Establishment Act No. 29, 2022, in Abuja.

He emphasised that the amendment was crucial for boosting the effectiveness and efficiency of the agency.

“This Bill is vital for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of our Meteorological Agency, which plays a key role in ensuring the safety of lives and property, particularly in the aviation sector,” he said.

The lawmaker noted that the proposed amendments focused on key sections, specifically to amend section 13, sub-section 2.

“These changes aim to strengthen NIMET’s capacity to provide accurate and timely weather forecasts, warnings, and advisories.”

Abisodun reiterated the importance of NIMET’s quality service delivery, stating that the bill would enable pilots and air traffic controllers to access reliable and accurate weather information necessary for informed decisions.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, described the public hearing as a reaffirmation of the House of Representatives’ commitment to efficiency, accountability, and transparency.

Represented by Rep. Ibrahim Isiaka, Deputy Chief Whip, the speaker stressed the importance of prioritising citizens’ needs.

He added that the House would continue to provide legislative support aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s safety and economic growth, urging stakeholders and participants to make valuable contributions toward improving NIMET’s services.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Abisodun Akinlade, explained that the goal of the bill was to reposition NIMET to better ensure citizen safety and foster economic growth.

He emphasised that NIMET was the only agency legally mandated to provide meteorological data for national safety.

Also speaking, the Director General of NIMET, Prof. Charles Anosike, said the presentation was intended to justify the proposed amendments.

He particularly supported introducing a cost recovery framework to ensure sustainable delivery of critical meteorological services to sectors such as marine, construction, and telecommunications.

Anosike stressed the need for users of specialised meteorological services to pay for the costs associated with the services.

He highlighted gaps in the current Act that limited NIMET’s optimal service delivery, especially regarding cost recovery.

“While sections 7(1)(i) and 7(2) of the current Act empower NIMET to issue meteorological information and impose cost recovery charges, there is no equivalent mechanism for non-aeronautical sectors.

“This results in unrecovered operational costs, increased funding pressure, poor infrastructural development, and limited service coverage,” he said.

He also emphasised the importance of improving NIMET’s services to align with global best practices, particularly through cost recovery from specialised services.