By Dele Ogbodo
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has assured the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adopted Land Use (WASCAL) of Federal Government’s commitment to collaborate with the Centre to build the capacity of Nigerians on climate change and energy transition.
The Minister stated this while receiving the delegation of WASCAL led by its Director, Dr. Emmanuel Wendsongre Rande, on an official working visit to the Ministry recently in Abuja.
The Director, Information and Public Relations, at the Ministry, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna, in a statement, said the Minister expressed government’s committment to continue to support, partner and collaborate with WASCAL and any similar institutions in its efforts to address climate change related issues in the West African sub-region and Nigeria.
He acknowledged that the Ministry will participate in the forthcoming International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC) in Nigeria as well as the Ministerial Conference on Climate Change in Guinea Conakry later this year.
The Minister used the forum to thank the German Government for funding WASCAL’s activities in the region and ensuring effective climate change and energy transitions in West Africa.
He also commended WASCAL for using two Nigerian Universities namely; Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State and Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State in providing scholarships for Nigeria Students to under study issues and research on climate related topics in Nigeria.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Prof. Emmanuel Wendsongre Rande, the Executive Director of West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adopted Land Use (WASCAL) stated that their organisation has produced over 60,000 Climate Change experts with First Degrees, Masters and Ph.D through Conventional University.
The Director noted that their programmes also includes research work on the effect of climate change in the production of Fertilizer,Minning and Agriculture among others.
Rande, sought the support of the ministry in hosting the International Conference on Climate Change in Nigeria and Ministerial Conference on Climate Change in Conakry, Guinea later this year.
