By Dele Ogbodo
The Surveyor General of the Federation (SGOF), Mr. Abduganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, has hinted that the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation would be carrying out first of its kind task in Africa.
While expressing optimism over the development, he added that his Office has concluded arrangement to receive two or three expatriates from the United Nations (UN) coming for technical know-how to process it.
He however said that the country has drone, explaining that it wrote them (UN) for assistance as according to him, they said they will be of assistance to Nigeria on the digital mapping task.
He made the revelation during his briefing with the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Shuaib Belgore, at the Ministry’s Conference room in Abuja today.
In his remarks the Surveyor General, said: “We want to carry out an assignment, which will be the first of its kind in Africa.
We want to see if we can use a drone, carry out a survey, and we will have every building standing the way they are. They are called digital twin mapping.
He said this assignment ought to have been done almost eight or nine months ago. SGOF said “we keep on reshaping and reshaping and last week we were happy that they gave their note that they will be here.”
Abdulganiyu, further hinted that for the next three weeks, his agency will carry out the mapping of Abuja, a session of it, as per the approval given by the presidency. He assured the Permanent Secretary that when the assignment is completed they would present the report before him.
While making a remark on the importance of Surveying, he said: “Out of the 17 SDGs, 14 of the 17 directly refer to surveying. And that is why there is a body that is called UN-GGIM, United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management.
They are the anchor of the SDG. And 14 of it speak to surveying directly. So the office is equally a signatory to Africa.
“And that is why we have this school. We used to call it Africa, but now it’s Africa Regional Institute for Science and Information. So the school, what they do is basically to close up the gaps, because it’s a specialized school, to close up the gap between what government on its own can provide and what it is being practiced outside the shore of the Country.”
The SGOF further said: “So on achievement, I always like to measure my achievement as far as the number of staff we have already been able to impact.
“To this, I would say we have been able, through our collaboration with United Nations, to train over 100 staff online, we want to use them as focal point for the new drive of the office, we have provided Government and the public with relevant products and alternatives through user requirement analysis and make appropriate policies that will be in consonance with the changing roles of Surveying and Mapping.”
The Head, Information and Public Relations, OSGOF, Mr. Henry David, said the achievements of OSGOF include creation and maintenance of a National Repository of Metadata for all tri-gonometrical, cadastral, topographical, hydrographic and geodetic data in the Federation, Create and maintain Survey Units in relevant Federal MDAs and Support MDAs in the area of mapping and geo-spatial information.”
The Permanent Secretary while responding to the SGOF presentation said the Ministry would assist OSGOF in the area of special intervention fund in acquisition of satellite images, server, Office space and demanded for presentation of Cap. 194 Survey Act of 1962 presentation in his office, which is the Survey Co-ordination Act, in order to help the organization with the right legislation and amendment.
