By Abu-Ubaida Ibrahim Kuna
The Executive Director of the Pen Resource Academy, Gombe, Dr Sani Jauro and some members of the Planning and Implementation Committee of the proposed Pen Resource University paid a courtesy visit on the Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi in his office in Abuja.
While breifing the DG NiMeT about the reason of their visit to his office in Abuja, the Executive Director of the Pen Resource Academy, Gombe, Dr. Sani Jauro who is also a member of the Planning and Implementation Committee of the proposed Pen Resource University revealed that the visit the DG was to solicit for the support of NiMet to establish a Weather Observation Centre in the school.
” Today, we are in your office to solicit for your support and collaboration with our school to establish a Weather Observation Centre, as our Secondary school students are already using the not so reliable Internet sources of rainfall and weather forecast to intimate and guide the inhabitants of neighbouring communities on the farming season to enable them plan against draught, flood etc. Dr. Sani Jauro explained.
Earlier hinting the DG on the background of Pen Resource Academy Gombe, Dr. Sani Jauro said that after establishing the Nursery, Primary and Day Secondary School sections, there was pressure from the pupils and parents to establish the boarding secondary school which has grown and given birth to the idea of the proposed PRU, which is now at an advanced implementation level and waiting for the NUC’s visit and approval for the University to take off.
Jauro said that another reason for the visit was to intimate the NiMet DG about the establishment of the Pen Resource University, saying that the Proposed Pen Resource University is proposing to offer BSc. Meteorology subject to NUC’s approval. “That is why we have come to you to seek for collaboration to make it successful, as there’s no University in the Northeast that offers Bsc Metrology and Climate Science”.
Dr Sani Jauro added that the establishment of the Pen Resource University Gombe will provide more access to university education to all Nigerians especially in the Northeast region of the country as “presently there are only two private universities in the whole of the Northeastern part of Nigeria”.
He added that “the Proposed Pen Resource University, Gombe is going to be one with very high standards that will use international best practices in teaching and research.”
He commended the DG for his outstanding achievements and performance in NiMeT as his achievements received international recognition.
Responding, the DG NiMeT, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi welcome the ED Pen Resource Academy and the members of the Planning and Implementation Committee of the proposed Pen Resource University and thanked them for the courtesy visit.
Prof. Mashi commended the efforts of the ED and all other members for putting hands together to bring this development to the people of the Northeast and Nigeria in General.
Mashi promised to look into ways on how the NiMet will key into the Proposed Pen Resource University to successfully run the proposed meteorological course.
“We already have more than two hundred Meteorological Centres and Pen Resource Academy will be plus one over what the NiMet has in other higher institutions of learning”, DG assures.
He stated that Northeast needed more awareness on climate issues than any other region because of desertification. BSc. Meteorology and Climate Sciences as a course in the the proposed University is not only timely but patriotic.
Among the members of the Proposed Pen Resource University Panning and Implementation Committee who visited the NiMet headquarters in Abuja were Prof Sale Abdullahi of Nile University, Prof Mustapha Jamda of the College of Medical and Health Sciences University of Abuja, Prof A. Salawu of the Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, the Director General NESREA; Dr. Muktahr Imam of Base University; Dr. Sani Isiyaka of the Federal University Kashere; Mr Umar Zubair of the Pen Resource Academy Robotics Centre; Alhaji Jauro Jibrin, a Chattered Accountant; and Mr Adigun, the former President Chattered Institute of Taxation.