FG To Install Seismic Detection, Monitoring Stations

The Federal Government is to install seismic detection and monitoring stations across the country.

Minister of Solid Minerals and Development, Dr. Oladele Alake made this known in Abuja while inaugurating the Nigerian Geoscience Survey Agency, NGSA National Seismic monitoring Station 5, in Katampe Abuja.

Dr. Alake explained that the 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.

The Minister added that the data generated from the stations are critically required by researchers and construction companies to aid their decisions on siting of infrastructure such as dams, bridges, processing plants, high rise buildings, military and communication installations, and other heavy infrastructure that require a stable foundation.

“The effect of climate change can cause severe drought and reduced rainfall, combined with rising air temperatures, and can also hinder agricultural production and fishing that can reduce food security and negatively impact health and nutrition” Dr.

“This is why the ministry of Solid Minerals Development considers it a top priority to support the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency with the necessary resources at its disposal so that all the Agency’s seismic monitoring stations are actively operational and well maintained” he stressed.

The Ministry applauds and extends sincere appreciation to the Ministry of the FCT for all the support towards establishment of the NGSA seismic monitoring station 5 and for providing a suitable location for the monitoring of seismic events in the FCT.

Earlier, the Director General of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba, said the essence of the project is to gather enough information that would help in driving seismicity information for research purposes in security and planning.

Dr. Garba added that it would invariably improve the quality and applicability of data on seismicity coming from the stations.

“And as the Federal Government plans to commission more monitoring stations in other localities of the nation, there is therefore the urgent need to train more staff for swifter response, more reliable data analysis and effective coordination” Dr. Garba explained.

He therefore appealed to the ministry to deepen the capacity of the NGSA in Seismic Monitoring, to bring the staff saddled with these responsibilities abreast with modern technical innovations in seismology, instrumentation, earthquake source parameter detections, seismogram analysis, instrument configuration and calibration.

The inauguration was attended by top Government officials and stakeholders.

By Georgina Humphrey, Edited By Grace Namiji