Professor Charles Anosike of NiMet attended an AATF meeting on March 18, 2025, focusing on proactive flood preparedness in Nigeria. Vice President Kashim Shettima hosted the meeting, emphasizing the need for anticipatory action to mitigate flooding impacts. The initiative aims to align with global disaster risk reduction frameworks, while NiMet is committed to enhancing its forecasting strategies.
Professor Charles Anosike, the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), participated in the Anticipatory Action Task Force on Floods (AATF) meeting on March 18, 2025. Hosted by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the gathering aimed to shift Nigeria’s flood response strategy from a reactive approach to one of proactive preparedness.
The AATF is designed to align with global initiatives including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. These frameworks emphasize the importance of proactive disaster preparedness to reduce the impact of natural disasters and protect vulnerable populations.
During the meeting, AATF members provided updates on their agencies’ preparedness efforts to mitigate flooding impacts in Nigeria. Vice President Shettima raised concerns regarding the rising human and economic costs associated with floods and highlighted the necessity of preemptive measures. He underscored the importance of employing science, technology, and collaborative efforts to protect communities and livelihoods.
Professor Anosike praised the Vice President’s leadership, acknowledging the significance of anticipatory action for effective disaster preparedness. He reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to delivering impact-based forecasts that support timely responses to climate-related disasters. He emphasized that integrating NiMet’s forecasts with early warning systems could significantly improve risk awareness and responsiveness.
Anosike also outlined crucial priorities for enhancing NiMet’s forecasting capabilities. These include improving weather models, investing in forecasting systems, expanding observation station networks, refining in-situ data collection, and utilizing machine learning to enhance prediction accuracy.
In conclusion, the AATF meeting highlighted the urgent need for Nigeria to adopt a proactive approach to flood preparedness and response. The collaborative efforts among stakeholders aim to leverage technology and data to mitigate the impacts of flooding, thus safeguarding communities. Additionally, NiMet’s commitment to enhancing its forecasting capabilities is crucial for enabling effective disaster management and protecting lives.
Original Source: sciencenigeria.com
