University of Jos - Nigeria
UNIJOS CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRE SOON TO BE OPERATIONAL
A seasoned scholar and internationally renowned climate change expert, Professor Anthony Okon Nyong has expressed his willingness to assist with the University of Jos as it seeks to undertake researches in the areas of climate change, power, energy and green growth. Professor Nyong, who is the Division Manager, Environment and Social Protection at the African Development Bank (AFDB) and Member of the United Nations Scientists on Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, said University of Jos is situated in an environment endowed with a unique climate which also possesses huge Natural and Human resources that if properly harnessed, would be of immense benefit to the University and humanity in general.
Professor Nyong who is also a Senior Programme Specialist in the Climate Change Development Research Centre (IDRC), Eastern and Southern African Regional Offices, Nairobi, Kenya stressed that as a proud the Ambassador of University of Jos, he would support the University in its drive to establish a Climate Change Centre to enhance the University’s research activities and make it more visible for better global ranking.
Professor Nyong was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Management of the University. Professor Nyong, who began his career in the Department of Geography and Planning, University of Jos, thanked the University authorities for approving the establishment of a Climate Change Centre which was named after him. He charged the University to hasten and conclude the processes for the establishment of the Centre which he believes would rank as one of the best in Africa in terms of its location and utilization.
Professor Nyong, who is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize alongside the former American Vice-President, Al Gore, for their work on climate change, pledged that once the Center is established in the University, he will mobilize sponsors for the training of personnel and provision of the requisite facilities. He assured that he was ready to facilitate any assistance that could be secured from the African Development Bank and offered to avail himself during his annual leave to teach Ph.D Students of the University in his area of expertise.
Professor Nyong described his visit as home coming and said he was always proud of University of Jos where he spent most of his academic career. He said he had engaged so many stakeholders on behalf of the University and would donate about 1,200 reputable digital International Journals to the University which he believes would contribute to the number of scholarly publications in its collection.
Responding, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako commended the Professor Nyong for making the University proud among its peers. Professor Maimako congratulated Professor Nyong as one of the recipients of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and praised the quality of his research and scholarly contributions to the academic community and humanity at large.
The Vice-Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Academic), Professor Nelson Ochekpe commended Professor Nyong for his interest in the University and hoped that the University will continue to tap from his wealth of experience.
Contributing, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Professor Daniel Dabi described Professor Nyong as a very distinguished researcher and a mentor per excellence and appealed that everything necessary should be done to ensure that the Climate Change Centre is made operational.
The Registrar, Mr. Monday Danjem and the Librarian, Dr. Stephen Akintunde both described Professor Nyong as a result oriented ambassador of the University and thanked him for recognizing the literature needs of the University. They urged him to help guide the University in its utilization of digital resources that could increase the University’s global visibility and ranking.