–MME Conducts Four-Day Training to Boost Hydrological Service Capacity
By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has begun a four-day intensive early warning training for staff of the Liberia Hydrological Service (LHS), aimed at strengthening national capacity to monitor, forecast, and respond to disaster risks.
The training, conducted at the Ministry’s central office in Monrovia, is supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) through the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) under Pillar II of the global Early Warning for All Initiative.
According to the Ministry, the exercise focuses on equipping water resource engineers and technicians with advanced skills in hydrological observation, monitoring, forecasting, and data analysis to help mitigate disasters such as flooding.
The facilitators are specialists from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Liberia’s long-standing partner in technical knowledge-sharing and policy advancement.
Delivering special remarks at the opening session, Acting Minister of Mines and Energy Eudora Blay-Pritchard urged LHS staff to take full advantage of the training, emphasizing that strengthening national expertise in water resource management is vital as Liberia continues to face recurring flooding—especially in coastal regions.
She stressed the importance of retaining and applying the knowledge gained, adding: “As flooding disasters persist, Liberia must equip its professionals to support the government with sound analysis and problem-solving methodologies.”
Acting Minister Blay-Pritchard commended the WMO and SIDA for the support and praised both the current LHS Director Wynitta Gwaikolo-Mayson and her predecessor Anthony Kullie for their leadership in advancing hydrological services within the Ministry.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Geological Survey Director Anthony Kullie and Hydrological Service Director Wynitta Gwaikolo-Mayson encouraged participants to embrace the training as an opportunity to deepen their technical understanding of hydrometric activities and early warning systems.
The training is led by NIHSA expert Ayuba Mohammed and will run until Monday, November 24, 2025, climaxing with participant presentations and the awarding of certificates.
