Exposed! How much foreign weather service providers is exploiting from Nigeria – NiMet

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) said the country may be loosing millions of pounds sterling annually to the outsourcing of weather information to foreign weather service providers by oil companies.

According to their findings, Shell paid about £79 million to United Kingdom Meteorological Agency for weather information between 2017 and June 2019.

NIMET Director General Abubakar Mashi while receiving House Committee members on Aviation Tuesday in Abuja lamented that its unfortunate that the agency has been unable to prosecute the unabated criminal offense against the country.

He said despite laws empowering them to provide weather forecast information to agencies and organizations as at when needed, indication have shown that foreign weather service providers have been exploiting the country and taking revenue that should accrue to the nation.

He said, “our law is there that said we should provide weather information, there is no law that states that another organization should do that, had it been the law was clear about the illegality of sourcing weather information from the third party, it would be easy to prosecute the offenders.

The DG said globally the law does not allow meteorology information to be released by any third party except the meteorological service of the country concede their right to a third party, “but when that is not done but third party go against the law, its very wrong” he lamented.

Mashi further lamented that that the crude oil sector are not in any way assisting them. “We have been to the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation  (NNPC), and the Content Development Agency, they told us that though the Content Development law is there, that says certain percentage should go to Nigeria”

He said, “how can we spend billions of Naira  to put in facilities when we know we will not be patronize, we have asked them to challenge us and give us  the mandate to provide weather information, so that we can deploy the facilities effectively, but if we generate nobody will consume. So there is need to do something about the Legal framework .

He further disclosed plans to collaborate with the marine sector to curb ship wreckage on the high sea.

The chairman of the House Committee on Aviation iNnorli Nnaji in his remarks said the committee would ensure they improve allocation to NIMET in the 2020 budget.

He also said that they would review the laws where necessary to ensure the nation was not short changed.

He further charged them to be more proactive in providing weather information for farmers that farmers would be able take the necessary precautions.

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