By Victoria Onehi
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has commissioned the National Seismic Monitoring station 5, located at Katampe, Abuja.
During the commissioning ceremony held yesterday, the Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake stated that the overarching priority to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians informed the Federal Government’s decision to establish seismic monitoring stations.
Citing incidences of earth tremors that had taken the country unawares in recent past, the Minister asserted that seismic monitoring stations is pivotal to the efforts of government to enhance it’s service delivery to its citizenry as a responsible entity.
”What we need to do is to keep expanding the frontier of our knowledge, make arrangements to mitigate natural disasters and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians. Who knows the next place, so am happy we are now being compelled to make initiatives. And that is why government is prepared to support any act of creativity from whichever side as long as it is proferring solutions to problems of our environment”.He said.
Dr Alake in a statement by Deputy Director(Information and PR) in the Ministry Alaba R. Balogun,said the National Seismic Monitoring station at Katampe in Abuja, built by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) is the 5th seismic monitoring station and will enable the detection and monitoring of future occurrence of earthquake and tremor in and around the FCT.
”These stations are located in University of Abuja Gwagwalada, Nasarawa State University, Keffi and the Veritas University, Bwari with the centre at NGSA Headquarters Utako (Abuja). Other stations are NGSA offices in Kaduna and Ilorin. These seismic monitoring stations will enable the detection and monitoring of future occurrence of earthquake and tremor in and around the FCT and shall therefore help to upscale the level of safety in the FCT”.Alake said.
While commending the collaborative efforts between the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and the University of Abuja for bringing the seismic project into fruition, the Minister said he was extremely elated that the project will mitigate the effects of global climate change.
The Minister commended the initiative to all other sectors adding that the NGSA and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has taken this bold step to monitor seismic tremors anywhere in Nigeria. “We are going to expand the scope to cover more areas. The Renewed Hope Agenda of this present government covers all aspects of our human endeavour”.He said.
In his address, the Director -General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency ( NGSA) Dr Abdulrazaq Garba, said a robust seismic monitoring capability aligns with the Federal Government Renewed Hope Agenda as it concerns sustainable development involving the integration of technology, innovation and strategic planning to create an environment that is efficient, resilient and responsive to the needs of the nation.
