The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase has hailed the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET),for its prompt alerts and information on floods and other meteorological services which would have caused devastative effect on Nigerians.
Receiving the management team of the agency, led by the Director General Prof. Sani Mashi in his office yesterday, Wase said those alerts have saved the lives of many Nigerians and as well as their properties.
He said in the past, Nigerians have suffered a lot for lack of information with regards to the flooding and other disasters, adding that the country have moved forward from where it use to be largely due to the contribution of NIMET.
He charged the agency to do more, while assuring them of the National Assembly’s readiness to support them in delivering best services to the country.
Earlier, in his remarks, the Director General lamented the agency’s lack of observation stations where they are expected to collect data for at least 9,300 station across Nigeria, adding that Nigeria with 9,330 square kilometres requires one station for every one hundred kilometres to be able to collect date accurately.
He disclosed that the country currently has less than 200 stations, which he said are not enough, saying the implication means Nigerian is greatly under observed.
He lamented lack of funds as the greatest challenge facing the agency, urging National Assembly to come to their aid.
Mashi assured the Deputy Speaker that NIMET will continue to do its best to provide meteorological services to Nigerians despite the challenges being face by the agency.
