The Federal Government has renamed the Meteorological Institute Of Science and Technology (MIST), Katsina after the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

The Institution which will now be addressed as 'Muhammadu Buhari Meteorological Institute of Science and Technology' was commissioned on Thursday by President Buhari who is on a two-day visit to the state.

Briefing the press shortly after the institute was commissioned, the Director General, of Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu said the institute which offers National Diploma courses in Meteorology, Climate Change Science and other electrical and technical related areas with NBTE accreditation is the first of its kind in Nigeria and West-Africa.

He also noted that the institute is currently pursuing accreditation for Higher National Diploma in Climate Change Science, Meteorology, and Electro-Meteorological Technology so as to provide advanced training for graduates of the institute.

According to Prof. Matazu who is also Nigeria's Permanent Representative with World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the institution also offer support services and training to Meteorological personnels from other African countries like Republic of Niger and Gambia. Both countries he said are presently under-studying NIMET and preparing to send more than 50 of their staff to be trained in the institute.

On the capacity of the institution to deliver on all its set objectives, Prof. Matazu said:

"NIMET has been running training activities since 1957 with facilitators from within the agency as well as Professors, lecturers and researchers from other higher institutions.

"This has helped the institute achieve its goals and it reflected in the excellent remarks given by the employers of our students who went on industrial attachment recently."

Furthermore, Prof Matazu noted that all over the country, through the institute, weather in more than 41 parameters and over a 100 stations are being monitored.