NiMet raises the alarm over depleting water resources

As the country continues to battle Coronavirus pandemic, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has raised the alarm over depleting water resources and sought continuous monitoring and measuring of water level to tackle the challenge.

A statement issued by Director General of NiMet, Professor Sani Mashi in commemoration of the World Meteorological Day (WMD) with the theme, “Climate Change and Water- Count Every Drop, Every Drop Counts,” said the agency was concerned that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 3 billion people lacked basic hand washing facilities globally.

Citing a report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which indicated that warming trend in Nigeria and other part of the Sahara region would be one and a half times greater than global trends, Mashi said available meteorological data also indicated increasing air temperatures since the 1920s, in addition to recurring droughts since the 1960s.

He explained that the underlying message of the 2020 WMD was that the country could not manage what it does not monitor and measure, adding that water data collection and sharing underscored hydrological monitoring and forecasting, as well as flood and drought early warning services.

“The growing demand for water increases the need for energy-intensive water pumping, transportation, treatment and has contributed to the degradation of critical water-dependent carbon sinks such as peat lands.

“Some climate change mitigation measures, such as expanded use of biofuels, are exacerbating water scarcity. Therefore, climate and water data underpin the management of surface-water supplies and disaster risk reduction.

“These include calculations of the frequency and duration of heavy rainfall, probable maximum precipitation and flood forecasting,” he stated.