The Oni of Ife, His Royal Majesty Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja ll has commended the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) under the leadership of Surv. Samuel Adeniran Taiwo for its advocacy on the relevance of survey and geo-informatics as part of efforts to stimulate activities in unlocking the riches and potentials of land in Nigeria.
His Royal Majesty who gave the commendation when the Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF), Surv. Taiwo as the First Representative of Nigeria on the Governing Council of the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information, Science and Technology (AFRIGIST), the Chairman of the council, Mal. Mohamodou Keita, the AFRIGIST Executive Director, Dr. Akingbade Adewale Olusola and other council members for the 51st meeting paid him courtesy call at his palace in Ile Ife, Osun State.
The Royal Father observed that the SGoF has been passionate about the surveying and mapping profession noting that the country needed people with such passion to deliver dividends as he prayed to God Almighty to continue to provide the wisdom for good governance.
AFRIGIST according to him reflect Pan-Africanism while expressing hope that more African countries would join about from the 8 countries currently running the affairs of AFRIGIST, formerly known as Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS).
Earlier, Surv. Taiwo said a lot of capital was locked in land and that only surveying and mapping would help to unlock the riches and potentials of the land. Though, geospatial data were not end to themselves, the SGoF maintained that they remained nonpareil and indispensable for leaders to make good decisions for planning, execution and achievement of any policies and programmes especially of physical development.
“The best mapped countries in the world are the most developed, it is our duty to ensure the provision of requisite geospatial data to make intervention easy and we must put in our best as surveyors”, he said. The 51st Governing Council on AFRIGIST would according to him look into the challenges of development of member countries and Africa at large to advise the authorities how to promote good governance and development.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Mal. Keita mentioned that AFRIGIST which was under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) was being managed by Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Nigeria, the host.
Keita disclosed that some other countries had shown interest to join AFRIGIST as he commended the Royal Father and the good people of Ife for their support to the activities of the institute.
Highlights of the occasion included presentations of geographic materials, souvenirs and group photographs.
Signed:
Abu, I. Michael
Head of Press and Public Relations, OSGoF
