By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have pledged to deepen collaboration in key national development areas.
This key partnership includes satellite technology, communication sector regulation, geospatial data infrastructure,
and population census operations and other areas of mutual interests .
This was according in a statement signed and issued by Head, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, Henry David, saying it was disclosed in Abuja yesterday when
the Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin received Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, and his management team.
The meeting focused on the impact of upstream and downstream operations in Nigeria’s communication sector, challenges of mast proliferation near residential areas, and the broader implications for public health.
Both agencies expressed concern over the unregulated installation of communication infrastructure and its potential link to rising cancer rates.
“The downstream sector of communication companies involves placing signal-receiving stations within living communities, which poses significant health risks due to radiation,” the two agencies said in a joint position. “Co-location of infrastructure, as practised in developed countries like the UK and
US, should be adopted here to reduce radiation exposure.
The both agencies called for stronger regulation of telecommunication operators.
The said that television and radio signal disruptions commonplace in Nigeria are largely due to a lack of oversight, a situation that does not persist in countries with stringent telecom regulations.
The also addressing issues of national data management, explains the critical need for collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) in the upcoming national census. “Without the input of NASRDA and OSGOF, the census will remain speculative,” they said.
Speaking further,
the Surveyor General Adebomehin reiterated his support to NASRDA’s initiatives. “I will defend NASRDA to the best of my ability. If you need software engineers, we have capable hands here,” he said. “Keep encouraging your staff. Behind every successful organisation in the world, you will find Nigerians. We are in full support of your mission.”
Adebomehin urged NASRDA to engage the Presidency directly in acquiring high-precision satellite systems. “You need a satellite that can deliver accuracy of less than 10 centimetres,” he said. “This will reduce the government’s losses from MDAs sourcing satellite services externally.”
Meanwhile, Director of Geodesy at OSGOF, Duniya Magaji Joseph, called for improved inter-agency collaboration, especially with the military. “Anytime the military collaborates with OSGOF, the outcome is always better,” he said. “We need to overcome the tendency to work in silos driven by funding concerns and instead focus on joint advantages.”
NASRDA’s DG, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, said his agency is working with the Ministry of Steel Development on mineral exploration projects, including the identification of new sites for raw materials such as steel and limestone. He stressed the importance of OSGOF’s technical input in these initiatives.
“We’ve agreed to support the Ministry of Steel Development in identifying new resource locations.
“But I don’t want NASRDA to go it alone. We want OSGOF fully involved so that roles are clearly defined, and the synergy is more impactful,”Adepoju said.
