Minna — The government of Germany has earmarked 50 million Euros to be expended in 10 West African countries for training and research on climate change and land use management. Executive Director of West African Service Center on Climate Change and Adaptation Land Use, Dr. Laurent Sedogo, made the disclosure yesterday while delivering his speech at a graduation ceremony at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. According to him, the West African countries to benefit from the aid include, Nigeria, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. "The programme is aimed at contributing to the education of next generation of African scientists and policy makers in the field of climate change and land use management," he said. He added that the programme was designed for the ECOWAS sub-region in collaboration with universities in the benefiting countries. Dr. Sedogo added that apart from the 100,000 Euros expended on the construction of the center in FUT Minna, the university is also expected to benefit from another 900,000 Euros for the payment of students scholarship, lecturers trips, honoraria, teaching and scientific equipment. In her address, Coordinator of the programme in FUT, Minna, Dr. Appollonia Okhimamhe, said in 2009, the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel indicated interest in the project by looking at the possibility of her country collaborating on research with Africa on adaptation to climate change.