Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has tasked participants at the Regional Forum Workshop on Seasonal Forecasts of Agro-hydro-climatic characteristics of the rainy season for the Sudanian and Sahelian zones of West Africa and the Sahel (PRESASS), to downscale outcome of the workshop to their local communities.

Mr Keyamo who spoke in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the workshop on Friday, 26th April 2024, said;
“The outcome of the Regional Climate Outlook Forum for West Africa and the Sahel is a great planning tool for governments and policymakers across the region. We are very aware of the great challenge of the 21st Century, climate change, extreme weather events and food security to mention a few. To combat these challenges, it has become imperative that weather and climate information are not only accurate but also produced and disseminated early. Thus, the need for Early Warnings. It is based on this that the Nigerian Government deemed it fit to provide all the necessary support through the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and AGRHYMET Regional Centre to host this year’s forum here in Abuja”.

In his own remarks, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, commended AGRHYMET and ACMAD for sustaining the Regional Climate Outlook since 1998. He congratulated them and the local organising committee for putting together a successful forum.

This year’s PRESASS brought together participants from 16 countries from the West African region and lasted from 22nd to 26th April, 2024.