By Lami Bawa
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, welcomed the Executive Director of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Prof. Emmanuel Wendsongre Ramde, and his delegation during their visit to the University and its WASCAL Centre on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
The visit, which took place at the VC’s Conference Room and the WASCAL Centre on the main campus, was aimed at strengthening ties and reviewing the progress of WASCAL’s graduate programs hosted by the University.
During the meeting, Prof. Ramde highlighted WASCAL’s mission to address the challenges of climate change through capacity building, research, and advisory services. He noted that the purpose of the visit was to assess the progress of the programs, engage with staff, identify challenges, and strategize for the future. Prof. Ramde emphasized that WASCAL has made significant contributions to climate change education in West Africa, with Nigeria being the only country hosting two leading universities for their programs. Over the past 12 years, WASCAL has produced nearly 500 graduates, half of whom are PhD students, with significant investments made in capacity building and research, including a 3-million-euro investment in FUTMINNA’s WASCAL Centre.
He also praised the Centre at FUTMINNA for its efficiency in ensuring timely graduation of students, attributing this success to the dedication of the staff led by the Centre’s Director, Prof. Appollonia A. Okhimamhe. The program’s primary funding comes from the German Ministry of Education and Research, supplemented by contributions from participating countries.
In his remarks, Prof. Kuta expressed his gratitude to WASCAL and the German government for their continued support, which has greatly benefited the University through capacity building, community sensitization on climate change, and advanced research.
He encouraged WASCAL to expand its programs within the university and assured them of the institution’s unwavering support to ensure the continued success of WASCAL’s initiatives.
Photo credit:. Elijah Yisa