The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is committed to ensuring that weather stations across Nigerian Higher Institutions are upgraded to meet World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standard.
Director-General of the Agency, who doubles as Nigeria’s permanent Representative with the WMO, Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi, said this at the donation of weather station to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, on Thursday.
He said findings have revealed that weather stations across tertiary institutions needed urgent intervention to get to acceptable level.
While explaining that LAUTECH has been chosen as a beneficiary of the project, he added that, “NiMet as the Nodal Meteorological Agency in the country is bothered and has decided to intervene in getting such stations upgraded.”
Mashi, who was represented at the occasion by a technical expert, hinted that the Agency had briefed the National Universities Commission (NUC) and secured its consent for the intervention in LAUTECH, saying, “we have made all necessary logistical arrangements to commence the installations, testing and training with immediate effect.”
He expressed hope that LAUTECH would deploy the technology to proper use that will form a solid foundation for robust weather/climate monitoring network and development of critical infrastructure.
Thanking NiMet for the equipment, Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin, assured the Agency that proper care of the equipment would be taken towards ensuring that the purpose for which it was given is achieved.
Gbadegesin, a former President of the Association of Nigerian Geographers said LAUTECH as a University of technology places premium on adequate information of weather to everybody, assuring that dividends of the donation would become manifest in a very short time.