By Miriam Humbe
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike has commended the European Union (EU) for its various interventions in Nigeria.
Professor Anosike was speaking when a delegation from the Directorate General- European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO), paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja on Thursday.
Professor Anosike welcomed the idea of the Directorate General-European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO) partnering with NiMet in disaster risk reduction.
Prof Anosike said: “The proposed partnership with the Directorate General- European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO) in disaster risk reduction is good for Nigeria, for our farmers and operators in other economic sectors.
“NiMet already disseminates weather and other climate related information on a daily basis.
“The weather advisories and forecasts we issue help to reduce disasters. Also, the weather data we issue to NIHSA helps them in the preparation of their annual flood outlook”.
“When people are aware of extreme weather events, they prepare for it”.
A member of the delegation who spoke on behalf of the EU team, Lisa De La Rubia, said that the Directorate General- European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO) considered NiMet a critical agency hence the desire to partner with it.
She said: “Directorate General-European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO) sees strong potentials for partnership with NiMet in setting up systems and strategies over the next three years towards disaster risk reduction in Nigeria”.
The Director of Weather Forecasting Services (WFS) at NiMet, Professor Vincent Weli and other senior members of staff of the agency were present during the courtesy visit.
Other members of the Directorate General- European Commission Humanitarian Office (DG-ECHO) team are; Charlotte Billoir, Confort Agwu and Sandie Romero Ruiz.
