By Rashidat Aminu
The Federal Government through the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has congratulated the Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, on his appointment into the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organisation.
In a statement made available to the Media by the General Manager/PR of the agency Mr. Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, said Prof. Matazu who is also the Permanent Representative of Nigeria with the Meteorology regulatory body, was elected at the 73rd session of the Executive Council of the WMO.
In a letter signed by the Secretary-General of the WMO, Professor Petteri Taalas congratulating the NiMet DG, said: “I look forward to your future participation and effective contribution to the work of the Council for the benefit of all our members. I would like to assure you of my full support as well as that of the Secretariat in the accomplishment of your new duties.”
The election of Matazu is occasioned by the tremendous contributions of NiMet and by extension Nigeria, in the furtherance and propagation of the message and ideals of the science of meteorology in the West African Sub-region and the continent of Africa as a whole.
The Executive Council of the WMO implements decisions of the Congress (i.e., the supreme body of the Organization which is the general assembly of delegates representing Members of WMO). The Executive Council coordinates programmes, manages the budget, considers, and acts on resolutions and recommendations from the Regional Associations (RAs) and Technical Commissions (TCs), studies and makes recommendations on matters affecting international meteorology and other related activities.
Nigeria’s membership of the Executive Council will, among other benefits, strengthen multi-lateral and bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and other countries on weather, climate, water, environment and sustainable development issues.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, dedicated to international cooperation and coordination on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the land and oceans, the weather and climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources.