AUST, NIHSA TO COLLABORATE ON WATER RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has set machinery in motion on how best the two institutions would collaborate in ground and surface water resources research and management for the benefit of the Nigeria populace.

The Acting President of AUST, Professor Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS disclosed this while on a courtesy visit to the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIHSA recently in Abuja.

According to Professor Onwualu, NIHSA goals and objectives happen to be in line with what AUST do in the area of research and management of water and water related matters including climate change hence the collaborative efforts being sought after.

He enjoined the DG/CEO of NIHSA to encourage his staff to participate in the courses being offered by AUST promising that a discount would be granted after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would have been signed and put into action.

Welcoming the AUST Acting President, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIHSA, Engineer Dr. Clement Onyeaso Nze, FNSE, thanked the AUST president and his team for finding out time to visit the agency.

He congratulated the AUST Acting President on his appointment and hope he would continue the good works he started while serving as DG of Raw Materials and Research Development Council (RMRDC) now he is in-charge at AUST.

Dr. Nze promised that NIHSA will collaborate with AUST in the area of research, training, and retraining of staff as well as assist the university in the establishment of weather monitoring station at the university.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency provides the services required for assessment of Nigeria’s surface and groundwater resources in terms of quantity, quality, distribution, and availability in terms and space for efficient and sustainable management of water resources. Consequently, the Agency operates and maintains hydrological stations nationwide and also carries out groundwater exploration and monitoring using various scientific technics in order to provide hydro-geological data needed for proper planning, design, execution, and management of water resources and allied projects.

AUST was represented by the Acting President, Professor Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, Dr. Anatole Kenfack, Head, Theoretical and Applied Physics, AUST, Prince Obioha Atulomah, Head, Media/PR, AUST, Mrs. Uju Eloje, Administrative Assistant to the Acting President (Research and Innovation) and Mr. Ibrahim Solomon, Budget Officer and Personal Assistant to the Acting President while NIHSA was represented by Engineer Dr. Onyeaso Nze, DG/CEO, Ibrahim Adamu, Director, Hydrogeoinformatics, Omolara Idowu, Director, Admin and Finance, Stephen Margima Jabo, Director, Hydrogeophysics, Aishatu T. Ibrahim, Director, Engineering Hydrology, Mr. James B.Bison, Director, Operational Hydrology and others.