The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), on Tuesday, donated a weather station to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, to boost the growth of the institution and education in Nigeria.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mohammed Mashi, while inaugurating the centre in Zaria, said that NIMET provided fencing, wind vane, hydrometer, maximum and minimum thermometer and evaporator for the station.

Mashi described educational institutions as one of the key stakeholders of NIMET, adding that all those participating in the management of the country’s affairs were products of educational institutions.

The director-general said that the agency would bring automatic weather station to measure over 40 parameters at the same time.

“This means that if we interact and cooperate with educational institutions, we will go a long way in advancing meteorology.

“The total items cost about N50 million, but it is not the money that matters but the quality of the services that will be delivered and the benefits they are going to derive. We believe it is an investment that is worth doing,” he said.

Mashi said that the agency had inaugurated and donated to the institution with the hope that it would be of immense benefits to members of staff and students, while students in particular would be better informed on meteorology.

Earlier, the Rector of the institution, Mohammed Abdullahi, commended the agency for the donation, noting that with the equipment, the institution would start a national diploma in Meteorology and Climate Change.

Abdullahi said that the institution would leverage the curriculum developed by NIMET to approach National Board for Technical Education to obtain approval for the courses.

“Hopefully, the institution will start a national diploma in meteorology and climate change by next session,” he said.