Monrovia – Princess Tarpeh, was so excited to be one of the two ladies among 27 persons on their way to Nigeria to acquire training in Agro-Meteorology, Data Processing, Aviation Meteorology, Conventional Meteorology, and Medium Meteorology Technical study.
Report by Mae Azango – [email protected]
“I will be studying Agro-meteorology that has to do with the climate relating to agriculture. I am from the Ministry of Transport and the selection was based on your field of study. I did Agriculture and I will be in Nigeria for six months”, she said.
Princess described the program as a great opportunity for her. “I see this program as a great one that will afford me the opportunity to be able to go and study weather reporting,” says Princess.
Princess, who is a senior student at the University of Liberia, says she will continue her education when she returns to the country and is urging other females out there, to take advantage of these kinds of programs, saying what men can do, women can even do better once they study hard.
Omoadu Molly from the Roberts International Airport, (RIA), one of the beneficiaries of the program who will be studying aviation meteorology for four months expressed that he is grateful for the opportunity.
“I am very grateful because anyone would want such an opportunity to go and study abroad and I promise that upon our return, we will bring smile to Liberia. We are nine persons from Aviation on this program. I want to encourage women to apply for this program,” said Molly.
Regarding the selection process, Molly said they went through a very strenuous process saying it was not done by handpicking.
He said they applied and sat for interview and after they were shortlisted, their names forwarded to the Ministry of Transport, for another interview where they waited for another six months.
According to Transport Minister, Angelia C. Bush, who spoke at her offices in Monrovia, the program is a six million dollars project managed by the United Nations Development Program and it is meant to create Meteorological centers around the entire country, with the main base at the Roberts International Airport, (RIA) in Margibi County.
“There are 27 persons going from the Ministry of Transport, Agriculture, Lands Mines and Energy and the Liberia Airport Authority, and the total expenditure for hotel, food and transportation is $200,000. The duration of the program is from 1 to 3 years, for which two persons are going for a year. The reason for such a program, is to build the capacity of young Liberians so that they too can build their country,”
UNDP Country Manager, Kamil Kamaluddeen told the beneficiaries to serve as young ambassadors for their country. “You are breeding a new ground as trail blazers.”
Mr. Ben Karmo of the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) said the project started with him in 2004. He further admonished the beneficiaries to study hard and make Liberia proud.
