AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Global Risk Modelling Alliance (GRMA), has expressed a willingness to partner the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), in creating and enhancing access to risk data and models.

During a courtesy visit on the Director General, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Nigeria’s permanent representative with WMO, Professor Charles Anosike, on Thursday, 2nd May, 2024, Alastair Norris and Renuka Srinivasan from the GRMA said the proposed partnership will also cover application of open source platforms and open standards designed to inform risk financing, and providing technical assistance via strategic and operational projects co-defined with key stakeholders in Nigeria.

According to Prof. Anosike, “Nimet welcomes the idea of the proposed partnership with GRMA to support our efforts and improve our forecasting and dissemination capacity”.

He further stated that the agency provides early warnings to farmers and other stakeholders by downscaling and disseminating the seasonal climate prediction (SCP). Professor Anosike also highlighted that pilot briefings and daily advisories on weather and climate conditions are other ways NiMet provides early warnings to the aviation sector.

The Global Risk Modelling Alliance (GRMA) is a technical assistance programme funded by the German government. GRMA leverages public and private sector risk expertise to enhance capabilities in vulnerable communities to undertake risk analytics.

Falemi Ayodeji of The National Council on Climate Change, NCCC, accompanied the GRMA team during the courtesy visit. Mrs Gloria Onyegbule, Director, Department of Applied Meteorological Services (DAMS), and Mr James Ijampy, Chief Meteorologist at NiMet, were also present.

PHOTO STORY

Left to Right; Alastair Norris of The Global Risk Modelling Alliance (GRMA), Professor Charles Anosike, Director General, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Nigeria’s permanent representative with WMO, Renuka Srinivasan of the GRMA, and Falemi Ayodeji of The National Council on Climate Change, NCCC, during a courtesy visit on Prof. Anosike at NiMet Headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, 2nd May, 2024.

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has underscored the importance of maintaining a clean environment, to combat the spread of malaria.

He said this in a statement marking this year’s World Malaria Day, themed: ‘Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world’.

The World Health Organization (WHO), had noted that approximately 249 million cases of malaria were reported worldwide in 2022, with an estimated 608,000 deaths, occurring mostly in tropical and sub-tropical regions, and remaining a major global challenge.

He said that while malaria was primarily transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, the prevalence and severity of the disease could be significantly reduced through preventive measures, anchored on a clean environment, as one of the most effective strategies.

According to him, “In the fight against malaria, prevention is key. One of the most effective preventive measures is to eliminate mosquito breeding sites by ensuring a clean and hygienic environment. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, waste dumps, and other unhygienic areas. By keeping our homes and surroundings clean, we can significantly reduce mosquito population and consequently, the transmission of malaria.”

Gbadegesin urged residents to actively participate in efforts to maintain a clean environment, by shunning indiscriminate refuse disposal, cleaning their surroundings, and patronising assigned PSP operators, adding that individual actions could have a significant impact on public health outcomes.

“Each of us has a responsibility to keep our surroundings clean. By properly disposing of waste, eliminating stagnant water, and adopting good sanitation practices, we can protect ourselves and our communities from the devastating effects of malaria”, he stressed.

The LAWMA boss reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to promoting environmental cleanliness and public health, with effective collection, transportation, and disposal of solid waste across the state, while also implementing educational campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of environmental hygiene.

“As the world marks World Malaria Day, I want to reassure residents of LAWMA’s total commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and public health. Through collaborative efforts between government agencies, communities, and individuals, a cleaner and healthier environment can be achieved, leading to a significant reduction in the burden of malaria and other vector-borne diseases”, he stressed.

For more information about LAWMA’s initiatives and how to support efforts to maintain a clean environment, please visit www.lawma.gov.ng or call our toll-free numbers: 080000LAWMA (08000052962), 07080601020 and 617.

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) have announced that they will collaborate on several projects to boost agricultural productivity in Nigeria.

This followed a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, 14th February, 2024, at NIRSAL Plc’s headquarters, between the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIRSAL, Abbas Umar Masanawa, OON.

While speaking at the meeting, Professor Anosike said; “The urgency of climate action requires that critical stakeholders collaborate, invest in preparedness and ensure that smallholder farmers are protected by early warnings of climate disaster. NiMet is keen on exploring opportunities for both NiMet and NIRSAL to partner in de-risking agriculture. With the work that NiMet does and the data it generates on a daily basis, this will help farmers to plan effectively and efficiently”.

Concluding, Professor Anosike said; “Climate change impacts greatly on farming activities and agricultural yield, hence the need for data-driven farming operations. This will help to de-risk the agricultural value chain”.

While welcoming the NiMet team led by Professor Anosike to NIRSAL, the Managing Director/CEO, Abbas Umar Masanawa, OON, said that NiMet has done well over the years not only in the aviation sector but also in the other economic sectors including agriculture. “The DG/CEO of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike and his team have been doing very well not only in aviation but in agriculture as well. NIRSAL is interested in collaborating with them to support small holder farmers for increased productivity. This is in line with NIRSAL’s mandate”.

Masanawa said that collaborating with NiMet is critical as the focus will be on increasing primary production. “This will be beneficial to all as the farmers are the ones that are most vulnerable. We are also happy that NiMeT downscales its weather and climate data and information in different local Nigerian languages for wider reach and understanding”.

“A technical committee will be set up for the benefit of Nigerians and small holder farmers, drawn from experts from NiMet and NIRSAL to operationalize quickly the various areas of interest including but not limited to training, data sharing, setting up weather stations etc”, Masanawa concluded.