By Sade Williams
Aviation and Aerospace development Minister, Festus Keyamo, yesterday unveiled the 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) in Abuja as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) predicted that the 2024 onset of rains would be delayed in some parts of the country, especially the North Central states.
While giving some other warnings and predictions as contained in the minister’s speech, the agency through the minister said a normal onset is likely to occur over the northern states, adding that Borno, Abia, and Akwa Ibom states are predicted to have an early onset when compared to their long-term averages.
An early end of the season is predicted for parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ogun, and Lagos states.
However, a late cessation is predicted over the southern states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Ekiti, and parts of Edo, Delta, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara, FCT, Niger, and Kaduna.
“The annual rainfall amount is predicted to be below normal over parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Kebbi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta and Bayelsa states when compared to their long term normal. However, other parts of the country are likely to observe normal to above-normal annual rainfall amounts.”, he said.
Revealing more highlights from SCP further, Keyamo said most parts of the country are expected to experience a shorter length of season, however, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa-Ibom are likely to experience a longer length of season when compared with their mean.
The document revealed normal to shorter length of season will likely occur in other parts of the country.
The document also contains detailed prediction for temperature in the first five months of the year, predictions for the dry spell and little dry season, as well as prediction for Malaria and Meningitis.
“These predictions are accompanied by explicit details, especially focusing on the socio-economic implications associated with each projection.
“As the highly anticipated 2024 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction is released today, I strongly encourage all stakeholders to evaluate the predictions thoroughly and strategically, to build adaptive capacity and resilience against climate variability within your respective sectors.” he added.
While reiterating the critical importance of improved weather, water and climate information, products, and services for a Climate-Resilient Economy, Director general, NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike charged the public and concerned stakeholders to make timely use of the predictions.
“This information is fundamental for resource planning, routine operations, and maintenance work management, disaster risk reduction and investment planning systems. I will encourage everyone to take all these predictions, disseminate them and make timely and positive use of them in our various sectors. This is Our Commitment to ‘Facilitating a weather-resilient economy through early warning for all to foster renewed hope and sustainable development’. This should be at the forefront of our planning and economic agenda.”, he said.
