Our Reporter
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has concluded arrangements to establish Regional Centres of Excellence in Meteorological Research in the six geo-political zones of the country with the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) hosting that of the Northcentral.
The Director-General of NiMET, Prof. Abubakar Sanni Mashi, disclosed this while inaugurating the Surface Meteorological Station (equipment for weather data collection) donated by the agency to the Department of Geography and EnvironmentalManagement, UNILORIN.
The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIMET and the university.
Mashi said that the gesture was part of the agency’s contribution to the development of education in the country, adding that though universities are primarily charged with the promotion of humanity, they cannot do so meaningfully without adequate attention to the weather.
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According to the Director-General, Nigeria has only 54 weather observatory stations out of the expected 9,300, pointing out that this has prompted the agency to partner with universities through the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Mashi said partnering with educational institutions would help the institution acquire the relevant infrastructure and a weather station they can equally call their own because it will be useful for data gathering.
Mashi donated N100,000 to the UNILORIN Weather Club, an association of students in the Department of Geography and Environment Management.
In his address, the UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, said the equipment donated by the agency was a blessing that would enhance teaching and research endeavours of not only the Department of Geography and Environmental Management but also many others in the university.
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