If all goes well, the oldest specialized institution for the teaching of surveying and geo-informatics in Nigeria, the Federal School of Surveying in Oyo, Oyo State established since 1908, about 113 years ago may be elevated into a university by the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman of the Governing Council of the school, Surv. Samuel Adeniran Taiwo who is the Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF) disclosed after the council meeting that the school would remain a source of pride to the country hence it has been globally recognized as centre of excellence for the training of surveyors and related professions.
Surv. Taiwo further disclosed that the Gambian Government has officially requested for the training of its nationals on surveying and geo-informatics at the FSS, Oyo because of its academic landmark. He added that the rector and management staff of the school were already working towards collaboration with the Federal University of Technology, Akure and Ajayi Crowther University, Abeokuta since the school would be running some other courses like Geology, Geo-Physics, Hydrography and post-graduate courses among others.
According to him, the council was putting in place necessary arrangements for the school to benefit some projects from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as part of efforts to upgrade the school to meet standards of foremost institutions of higher learning.
The SGoF was conducted round some of the ongoing projects such as the Administrative complex, 1000-seat capacity lecture theatre and the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) capable of streaming data for users and other consumers in Lagos, Ibadan and Osogbo.
Surv. Taiwo encouraged them to seriously put to use the CORS hence it has capacity for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He said his focus was to install CORS across the country for streaming of data, and for online surveying and mapping in order to do away with some errors. Because of the cost implications, he explained that he was already in contact with big providers for partnership to would benefit the country in no small measure. The country according to him requires about 200 of the CORS.
Rector of the school, Surv. Dr. Olayinka Dupe Nihinlola-Dosunmu expressed appreciation for the release of some funds for the ongoing projects in the school. She mentioned that the new lecture theatre and the administrative complex would be completed before the end of the year. She noted that with the increase of price of building materials, the N220million lecture theatre and N88million required about N40million and N88million addition after review for completion. She therefore appealed to the Federal Government for release of the additional funds for timely completion of the project.
The council at the meeting received 2 new members, Surv. Ayinde Semiu Akanni, HOD, Survey Coordination, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) and Mr. Adeyemi Omotayo Folaranmi of the Federal Ministry of Budget and National planning.
Meanwhile, the council after approval of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan has appointed Administrator Oyedele Oyekola Olutayo and Mrs. Akintunde Fatima Omoniyi as substantive Registrar and Bursar of the school with effect from 18th May, 2021 for a single term of five (5) years. The Registrar, who had his first degree in Sociology and Master Degree in Public Administration from University of Ilorin and the Bursar, a professional accountant with a degree in Accounting from the then Ekiti State University have been on acting capacities over six (6) months.
Their appointment letters which were signed by the SGoF/Chairman of the council states that the appointments was consequent upon their performance at the interview conducted on 17th May, 2021. In the letter, the chairman of the council charged them to take full advantage of the esteemed appointments to continue to perform their duties to the full satisfaction and overall interest of the school, and above all, justify the confidence reposed in them by the Governing Council, FSS, Oyo.
Signed:
Abu, I. Michael
Head of Press and Public Relations, OSGoF
