By Edeniyere Abraham Osose
The Executive Secretary of the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EdoSEMA), Hon. Jerry Idahosa, has reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to leveraging the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) unveiled by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), to strengthen disaster risk management and climate resilience efforts across the State.
Hon. Idahosa, who was present at the official unveiling of the SCP in Abuja, resolved to key into the resolutions reached at the event, underscoring the need for proactive disaster preparedness, mitigation, and resilience-building efforts. His stance aligns with the vision of the Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, who remains dedicated to safeguarding communities from potential environmental hazards.
The SCP as unveiled by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, provides crucial insights into Nigeria’s climate patterns for 2025. It covers critical areas such as pre-onset conditions, onset and cessation of rainfall; total rainfall amounts, temperatures, and dry spells across the Country.
According to Hon. Idahosa, these predictions are key to planning and mitigating climate-related risks, particularly in states like Edo, which are vulnerable to extreme weather events such as flooding, erosion, and prolonged dry spells. He assured that EdoSEMA would collaborate with NiMeT and NEMA to ensure that the predictions are effectively downscaled to communities across the State.
He emphasized that Edo State is not taking the SCP lightly and is prepared to embark on a comprehensive sensitization campaign to ensure that even the most remote communities are informed and prepared for the potential climate challenges ahead.
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, commended NiMeT for the timely release of the SCP. She disclosed that NEMA would convene a strategic meeting of experts from various sectors to analyze the disaster risk implications of the predictions, which she noted would facilitate the development of advisories for states and local government authorities to enhance sub-national disaster preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery planning for the current year.
