The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Kambari, has reiterated the importance of staff welfare, stronger collaboration and infrastructure renewal.
He stated this on Thursday during a familiarisation visit to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in Abuja.
Kabari, who is on a tour of aviation agencies under the Ministry, said the visit was to gain firsthand insight into NiMet’s operations, achievements and challenges, with a view to enhancing performance across the sector.
He commended the Agency’s leadership for its focus on employee welfare, noting that improved working conditions are key to boosting morale and service delivery.
He added that the Ministry would continue to support initiatives that promote staff wellbeing.
The Permanent Secretary also called on NiMet to streamline and prioritise its equipment needs, assuring that the Ministry would provide the necessary backing to strengthen operational capacity.
He further pledged swift intervention on security concerns affecting the Agency’s facilities.
In a move aimed at improving coordination, Kambari announced plans to revive regular strategy meetings involving the Minister, Permanent Secretary, agency heads and directors.
He said the engagements would serve as a forum for monitoring performance and addressing sector-wide challenges.
He urged staff of the Agency to remain committed to their duties and align with the Ministry’s broader reform agenda.
Responding, the Director-General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the visit as a morale booster for the Agency and a demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to its mandates.
Anosike reiterated NiMet’s critical role in ensuring aviation safety through the provision of accurate weather information, while highlighting ongoing efforts to improve staff welfare, including discussions around salary review.
He traced the Agency’s history to nearly a century of meteorological service delivery and noted its longstanding membership of the World Meteorological Organization, as well as its ISO certification.
The NiMet boss also showcased recent strides in technology, including digital transformation projects, deployment of the METEO-WIZ platform and the integration of artificial intelligence into operations.
Despite these gains, he identified key constraints such as inadequate funding, delays in statutory releases, ageing equipment, and rising cases of vandalism affecting installations nationwide.
Anosike added that the Agency is working to amend its enabling law and recover outstanding revenues from partner institutions, particularly within the maritime and blue economy sectors.
