…WMO: NiMet has intellectual capacity, doing perfectly well under Prof. Matazu
By Frank Momoh
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation has granted approval to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) for the commencement of academic activities in its Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology, MIST, in Katsina State.
The approval was given in a letter dated 9th September following a request by the agency to commence academic activities.
The disclosure was contained in a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Relations of the agency, Mr. Muntari Yusuf, said: The letter, which was signed by the Deputy Director (Staff Welfare and Training) Rabi Abubakar for the Minister Hadi Sirika, reads “I am directed to refer to your letter Ref. No. NiMet/DG/FMA/HMA/M/Vol.1/30 dated 24th August, 2021 on the above subject and convey the approval of the Minister for the commencement of full academic session and activities at the newly established Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology, Katsina as requested.”
Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Representative for North, Central and West Africa, Dr. Bernard Edward Gomez, in an interview with our Reporter, over the week end, commended Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, for his intellectual input and quality leadership geared at repositioning the agency for tailor-made service delivery, adding: “The truth is that people here in Nigeria are very hardworking unlike other countries in Africa and beyond. Nigeria has a lot of intellectuals and manpower, no wonder NiMet is doing perfectly well in this direction. I must commend the Director General for this stride, he added.
According to the acclaimed Meteorologist, NiMet’s robust linkage especially with Nigerian Universities and academia is extremely important because of the research that will be made available for the agency.
Asked on NiMet’s preparedness for marine forecast, Gomez, admitted that NiMet has the capacity to deliver on its mandate, stressing, they have the capacity coupled with highly trained people with Ph.D and M.SC holders.
The only challenge that NiMet may have he said is the cost of equipment because deploying observatory station at sea/marine technology is many times expensive than on land, he said.
The Spokesperson for the agency, said following by government there the approval lectures have commenced for National Diploma in Meteorology and National Diploma in Climate Change Science at the institute.
The students were admitted through the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS). These National Diploma programmes have already been duly approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) with two streams of 30 students each.
The MIST, Katsina was commissioned by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika on the 21st of May 2019. The Institute was established to serve as a centre of training and research on meteorology and climate change sciences.
Given this approval, the Institute had embarked on an aggressive expansion of its manpower and boasts of eight Ph.D holders, among whom are five professors; seven other lecturers hold Master’s Degree in related disciplines amongst others.