The Director General/CEO, NiMet and Permanent Representative of Nigeria to WMO, Professor Mansur Bako Matazu was recently approved as a member of the re-constituted board of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
The appointment was conveyed in the Federal Ministry of Aviation letter dated the 3rd of April 2023. NOSDRA is an Agency of Government with the mandate to surveil and ensure compliance with all existing environmental legislation and detection of oil spills in the petroleum sector. They are also charged with receiving reports of oil spill and coordinating response throughout Nigeria.
Other functions include coordinating the implementation for the removal of hazardous substance as maybe issued by the Federal Government and other functions to achieve the aims and objectives of the Agency under its Act and any other as maybe be formulated by Government.
His nomination is a recognition of the contribution of Meteorological Services in Nigeria to issues of environment, its protection and ecosystem conservation for the benefit of humanity. While representing the meteorological community on the Board, Prof. Matazu also represents the Federal Ministry of Aviation (i.e., Ministry responsible for Meteorology in Nigeria).