Abuja— The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) says there will be an average weather condition across all states in the country in 2012.

Mr Joseph Alozie, the General Manager, Climate, NIMET, gave the prediction yesterday in Abuja, on the occasion of a Stakeholders’ Consultative meeting on Weather/NIMET Seasonal Rainfall Prediction for 2012.

Alozie said that the average rainfall would result in bountiful harvest for the agricultural sector and that normal weather would reduce incidences of disease outbreaks such as malaria and meningitis.

He, however, said that there would likely be incidences of increased airborne diseases because of the severe harmattan condition expected later in the year.

Alozie also warned that some states, especially in the North, should watch out for flash floods.

He said that studies also revealed that there would be cessation of rainfall between October and November, as well as severe weather activities at the onset and the cessation periods.

Alozie advised Nigerians to be mindful of their sanitation habits, as even the most normal rainfall could result in flooding if drainage systems were blocked.

In his opening remarks, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, said the meeting was aimed at analysing NIMET’s Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), and to digest properly the disaster implications of 2012 forecast.

“We all know that this will improve our early warning capabilities, preparedness and mitigation as well as response mechanisms in the country,” Sani-Sidi said.

He called for collaborative efforts among relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s), saying that they were established with varying responsibilities to protect and improve the lives of vulnerable citizens of the society.

“We have called for this gathering of stakeholders to provide a common platform to critically reflect on the 2011 flood disaster, analyse the 2012 forecast and come up with a simplified warning message, to be used as common working document for 2012,” he said.