20th September, 2019
Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has formally signed of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja with the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger, to promote activities relating to meteorology/climatology and climate change in Nigeria.
A statement signed on Friday by Mr Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, NiMet’s General Manager of Corporate Communications Unit, quoted NiMet`s Director-General, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi as saying that the effort would mitigate against climate change.
According to Mashi, other components of the MoU are the training of relevant staff of IBBU on weather data collection, handling and processing, and other related training exercises at NiMet’s Regional Meteorological Training Centre (RTC).
“All these at a cost to be determined and borne by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency,” he said.
The director-general pledged his support to the institution, especially in the area of research in applied meteorology to address the weather challenges in Niger State.
He said the agency would further assist the university to support its infrastructural development.
“MoU is part of NiMet’s plan to expand the weather stations in the country in order to meet up with the specifications of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
“It is also to help in improving the accuracy level of the agency’s weather forecasts in line with international standards, “ he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the IBB University, Prof. Mohammed Nasir Maiturare, gave assurance of his university’s commitment to the terms of the agreement.
Maiturare maintained that the Geography Department of the institution would be the primary beneficiary of the facility.
He added that the Maritime Institute domiciled in the University, and the newly established Transport Management Programme would also benefit from NiMet’s intervention.
“We want to assure the DG/CEO of NiMet and members of his management of our readiness, willingness and commitment to implement fully, the terms of the agreement as enshrined in the MoU.
“We also wish to applaud NiMet for the efficacy of its 2019 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction With the benefit of hindsight. We can say that it is very accurate,” he said.