By Miriam Humbe, Abuja
Nearly a year ago, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU).
Satisfied with the success attained in the execution of the MoU, the International Rescue Committee again proposed an offer to expand and extend the scope and duration of the existing MoU between both organisations.
This was disclosed during a courtesy visit by the IRC team to the NiMet headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.
The International Rescue Committee Team, which was led by the IRC Governance Coordinator, Dorcas Kingsley David explained that IRC and NiMet had previously signed a one-year MoU on a project that recorded great success in Yola, Adamawa State.
She said following the critical role played by NiMet in attaining this feat, IRC was prompted to seek for a broad ranging Memorandum of Understanding whereby NiMet and IRC could have a long-term partnership on the provision of weather and climate services as well as help design projects targeted at mitigating climate disasters and enhancing early warning for communities across Nigeria.
Expressing further the aim of the intending MoU between IRC and NiMet, the Governance Coordinator said that the collaboration would enable access to rainfall data, develop a trigger system for rainfall and rainfall intensity alert, flood forecast and subsequent provision of early warning alert to communities.
The Director General of NiMet, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu who was represented by the Director of Applied Meteorological Services, Prof. Charles Anosike said that NiMet had an established interest in private public partnership and had been collaborating with various stakeholders to provide climate services that was tailor made to enhance sustainable development and improve the socio-economic well-being of the Nation.
Prof. Matazu also said that the expansion of the MoU was an essential development as it enabled NiMet and IRC to extend their reach and build a community that was weather smart as well as implement policies and services that could mitigate climate disaster.
Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, commended the effort of the International Rescue Committee on her strategic action plan to curb climate disaster.
He said that NiMet was committed to providing quality, accurate and timely climate advisories geared towards the support of human development as well as create awareness on the socio economic impacts of climate and weather on different sectors of the nation’s economy.
