…As 16 African Countries Begin Early Warning For All’ Capacity Building Initiative In Lagos
The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Mansur Matazu has called for synergy to proactively combat the negative impacts of changing climate by providing actionable impact-based products and services toward mitigating the impact of these weather and climate extreme events on lives and property across the globe.
This is just as participants from 16 African countries begin a two-weeks ‘Early Warning for All’ capacity building initiative programme at the Regional Training Centre(RTC) at the Nimet Regional Headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos.
He made the call while speaking at the two weeks Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) initiative workshop organised by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), at the Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Lagos.
Matazu said that WMO recognised Regional Institution for capacity building, particularly in the West African Sub-region, adding that recent years have seen significant increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather and climate events globally, often leading to huge destruction of properties and loss of lives.
These extreme events, he said, are linked to the changing climate, which the world is still grappling with ways to mitigate and provide effective adaptation mechanisms.
The Director General, who was represented by the Director of Weather Forecasting Services, Mr. Daniel Okafor, said that the United Nations (UN), recognised the key role of WMO in creating and sustaining climate resilient societies across the globe, is spearheading a new action to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by Early Warning Systems by the year 2027.
This, he said, brought the Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) initiative, in which participants from 16 African countries would be trained at the Regional Training Centre in Lagos.
He listed the countries to include: Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Central Africa Republic (CAR), Congo, Cote-de-Ivoire, Gambia and Guinea Bissau.
Other countries are Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Gabon.
The DG said that the centre of the EW4ALL initiative is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) across the globe.
The NMHSs, he informed, is saddled with the responsibility of observing, measuring, reporting, predicting, and monitoring atmospheric variables to provide adequate understating of atmospheric dynamics and issue early warnings of impending extreme weather events that are hazardous and could lead to disasters.
He added that to achieve these, strengthening human and infrastructure capacity is critical.
“Weather has no boundary, and it is no respecter of political or geographical affiliations. All nations on earth must therefore synergise to proactively combat the negative impacts of changing climate by providing actionable impact-based products and services toward mitigating the impact of these weather and climate extreme events on lives and property across the globe,” he said.
He posited that it is against this backdrop, that the WMO and NiMet have joined forces to organise this workshop.
The workshop, he said targets meteorologists and climate scientists across the Sub-region, focusing on capacity building, knowledge exchange, collaboration and skill acquisition to develop competencies for realising the goal of EW4ALL.
According to him, “This workshop signifies a significant milestone in our collective efforts to enhance and strengthen early warning systems in the region, a vital component of our commitment to building a resilient community.”
“Over the next two weeks, we will have the opportunity to engage with experts in various aspects of the weather and climate value chain, share best practices, and explore innovative methods. These efforts aim to enhance our capacity to predict and respond to weather related hazards. The workshop seeks to comprehend the complexities of weather prediction and develop systems that are accessible, adaptable, and responsive to the diverse needs of our communities. The ultimate goal is to empower participants to go back home and implement early warning systems that are robust, inclusive, and leave no one behind,” he said.
“Therefore, we delve into the intricacies of early warning systems; our focus goes beyond addressing technical challenges, but investing in the safety and well-being of our communities.”
He commended the WMO for its continued support for Nimet and the entire Regional Association (Africa) members.
He urged participants to use this opportunity to gain experience from each other, forge new partnerships, and contribute to the advancement of early warning systems in their respective countries, hoping that this workshop serves as a catalyst for positive change, a platform for fruitful collaboration, and a beacon of hope for communities vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events.
Also speaking, the Director of Research and Training,Prof. Efiong Okon said that climate change has brought extreme weather conditions not only in Nigeria but also to other parts of the world .
He added that in recognition of the above, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres launched the Early Warning Initiative in 2022.
These weather conditions , he said necessitated the collaboration between WMO and Nimet to organise the Early Warning for All (EW4ALL) training programme.
He stated that at the end of the training participants are expected to produce Early Weather System, conduct in-house training for their colleagues in their respective countries
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