FUT Minna Intensifies Efforts At Tackling Climate Change

The Federal University of Technology Minna, North Central Nigeria has intensified its efforts in addressing the challenges of climate change across communities in the State.

The Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta stated this during the 10th anniversary of the West African Science Service Centre for Climate Change WASCAL in the University.

Prof. Kuta who said the centre was established to address emerging challenges of climate change most especially at the grass root level, commended the efforts of the past leadership of the University for supporting the establishment of the climate change research centre.

“We want to have a centre closer to the grass root so that our grass root dwellers will understand more about climate change based on the research carried out by the University”.

Prof Kuta also commended the German Government for its funding of the program since its inception 10 years ago.

He further appreciated the Nigerian Government for living up to expectations in the counterpart funding of the program.

“The Program has produced graduates up to the level of PhD and very soon lots of innovation by the centre would be coming on board, not limited to climate change”.

Graduate programs

The Director West African Science Service Centre for Climate Change WASCAL, Federal University Of Technology Minna, Professor Appolonia Okhimamhe said the centre has successfully graduated 30 Masters students within 6 years and is currently on PhD students in Nigeria and other African countries.

He further appreciated the role of the visionary past leaders of the University in supporting the establishment of the centre.

 

The WASCAL program has as its mission to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.

The programme objective

The Head of the WASCAL Governing Board Prof Mahammadu Hassirou from Niger Republic who led members of the Board from other countries in West Africa said the main objective of this programme is to train West African students and other stakeholders for better inclusion of climate change issues in the policies and sustainable development projects and programmes.

“We do this through capacity building support to young West African scholars in fields of climate, natural and social sciences and by delivering climate and environmental services in member countries”.

The WASCAL as a field of study on climate change and adapted land use is a large-scale research-focused climate service centre with headquarters in Accra (Ghana) and a research competence centre (CoC) in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

 

The Center has 11 West African member countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal
and Togo.

Part of the 10th-anniversary activities of the WASCAL is the presentation of awards to researchers and other stakeholders in the climate change sector.

 

 

 

Emmanuel Ukoh