News

NiMET@20: Stakeholders commend agency for effective service delivery

Published

11 months ago

July 1, 2023

By Joel Oladele, Abuja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMet) has started receiving commendations from stakeholders as it clocked 20 years as an Agency on the 19th of June this year.

This was made known via a statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the agency on Friday.

According to the statement, stakeholders and those who use the agency’s services across various sectors of the economy, acknowledged that it has over the years improved in its service delivery and has not just made its mark in the nation but at the regional level as well.

“One sector in which NiMet’s services have been visible is air transportation and airline operations where NiMet has been providing weather updates for air travelers and air operations.” The statement partly read.

Mr Oladayo Smith, an engineer that shuttles between Lagos and Abuja to supervise his projects said
“I frequent Abuja on account of projects that I handle. I must say that my confidence in air travel in Nigeria has increased in recent years because of the safety level now. I also know that NiMet has done a lot to contribute to this.”

Also, a British Airways pilot was once quoted in a national daily as saying that they now rely on NiMet’s weather report for their flight operation in Nigeria because the reports have become accurate and reliable.

This was recently confirmed by the Director General CEO Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, who disclosed in an interview that NiMet has attained 95 per cent accuracy in weather prediction, which is above the 60 per cent threshold recommended by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

Prof. Mansur attributed this to the continuous upgrade of equipment, training and retraining of staff and developing a culture of excellence in service delivery among others.

“NiMet has not only carved a niche for itself in improved service delivery for the aviation sector but has also developed products and services that have helped the Federal Government achieve sustainable food security for the nation.

“One such is the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) in which the Agency presents to the public the annual rainfall pattern that has helped farmers and stakeholders plan their cropping season.

According to Alhaji Abdullahi, a farmer from Jigawa state, he noted that:
“The Seasonal Climate Prediction from NiMet has been helpful to me and some farmers that agree to use it. The 2021 forecast was perfect, particularly at the onset and the end of the season. Cases of the dry spell were reported in some areas like Gwiwa, Yank washi, Kiri Kasama and Guri etc.”.

Another farmer Rose Chioma from Imo state said “The Seasonal Climate Prediction(SCP) has been very important to us. The one provided for us last year has helped us and increased our yield. I have been using the SCP for the past two years now and those years without applying the SCP will never be compared to the last two years I started using the product”, she enthused.

It could be recalled that earlier this year in a press briefing, Professor Matazu disclosed that NiMet’s weather advisory saved the Central Bank of Nigeria N120 bn because they adhered to NiMet weather advisory.

“As NiMet clocks 20, stakeholders believe that the Agency has done creditably well and that the Federal Government should encourage it to achieve more, especially with the issue of climate change taking over the global discussion.

“The Nigerian Meteorological Agency came into existence by an Establishment ACT of parliament on the 16th of May, 2003 and got the presidential assent on the 19th of June 2003.

“In 2022, the NiMet establishment act 2003 was repealed and replaced by the NiMet establishment act 2022 and signed into law by President Mohammadu Buhari on the 31st of August 2022. The New Establishment Act grants the Agency the sole authority to grant approvals and licenses for the establishment of Meteorological stations and other related matters.” The agency said.

News

FAAN starts sales of E-Tags at airports

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has started the sales of e-tags at airports.

FAAN confirmed this in a statement on Friday. “Following the presidential directive that all citizens are mandated to pay for e-tags at all the 24 federal airports across the country, we wish to inform the general public that the e-tags are available for sale from Friday, 17th May 2024 at the following locations,” it said.

“Lagos: Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Terminal 1, 5th Floor) Office of HOD Commercial. Contact: 08033713796 or 08023546030.

“Abuja: Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, HOD Commercial Office (General Aviation Terminal) Contact: 08034633527 or 08137561615.”

News

FG, Labour to reconvene next week over minimum wage negotiation

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

The Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage will reconvene on Tuesday, May 23 to further negotiate a reasonable new minimum wage for workers, after the organised labour walked out of the negotiation on May 15.

An invitation letter sent to the labour leaders by the chairman of the committee, Bukar Goni, states that the other members of the committee have agreed to shift grounds from the N48,000 proposal which was made on Wednesday.

The letter appealed to the labour leaders to speak to their members and attend the reconvened meeting next Tuesday.

The organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have proposed a new minimum wage of N615,000, which is way higher than the N48,000 proposal by the government.

The organised private sector, on the other hand, proposed an initial offer of N54,000. After dumping the talks, the labour leaders addressed a press conference where they expressed their anger over the Federal Government’s offer.

They blamed the government and the private sector for the breakdown in negotiation.

The Federal Government had failed to present a nationally acceptable minimum wage to Nigerians before the May 1 Labour Day.

The situation has forced labour to be at loggerheads with the government. In the wake of the tussle, the NLC President Joe Ajaero insisted on the N615,000 minimum wage, arguing that the amount was arrived at after an analysis of the economic situation worsened by the hike in the cost of living and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.

Ajaero and labour leaders have given the Federal Government a May 31 deadline to meet their demands.

On January 30, Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the 37-member tripartite committee to come up with a new minimum wage.

With its membership cutting across federal, and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, the panel is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

During the committee’s inauguration, the Vice President urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said.

The 37-man committee is chaired by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji.

News

Tinubu appoints governing board members for 111 tertiary institutions

Published

6 hours ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of at least 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards of 111 federal universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

This followed Tinubu’s assent to a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.

It was signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

“The inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00am daily,” said Walson-Jack.

When contacted for confirmation, the Presidency said the list emanated from the Ministry of Education.

“This is from the Federal Ministry of Education…they make the nominations and forward them to the President to sign. But they are at liberty to release it from their end,” the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, told our correspondent on Saturday.