Prof. Sani Mashi, the Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Tuesday said the inculcation of engineering design and inputs in planning and building of structure would prevent flooding.
Mashi made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Second Annual General Meeting/Lecture of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Giri Branch in Abuja.
NAN reports that the topic of the meeting is “Meteorology, Flooding and Challenges before the Nigerian Engineers’’.
“Meteorology is about collecting and analysing data and weather information. For you to collect the information, you need instruments which are design and fabricated by engineers.
“ Engineers are also important in decision making whether it is has to do with building, drainage or whatever and because of that they always work hand in hand with meteorologists.
“Part of the problem of the country is that when physical development is taking place, the emphasis is largely on the planning aspect and the engineering is not very well emphasised,’’ Mashi said.
He explained that in building structures, there was need to ensure a better relationship between the level of the building and water movement in terms of flooding.
He added that if adequate provision was not being made to carter for the excess water that would flow at the surface, it meant that planning had not succeeded.
Mashi said that putting up a structure was not just about the building but about the relation between the building and other infrastructure that would prevent flooding.
“ What it is supposed to be done henceforth is to start de-emphasising or stop over- relying entirely on the decisions or ideas provided by the planners.
“There is a need for engineers to give permission before a structure can be built. If engineers certify that the structure is going to be prone to flooding then they should be able to withdraw the planning.
“Thus, they should counter the planning for the development that is provided. This is the kind of pragmatic approach we need to start adopting in the country,’’ Mashi stressed.
He said that NiMet and NASDA were currently discussing how to collaborate toward the design and construction of satellite that would help the agency in collecting and analysing data on meteorology.
“ This is because we will be using the satellite information and taking data, which means the need to remain on the ground and be taking metrological data will be reduced and we will be able to do it faster and cheaper.’’ (NAN)
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