By: Shola Adekola – Lagos
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has deployed a Cessna 406 aircraft for aerial mapping of Lagos state in its government’s determination to ascertain the actual figures of buildings and the infrastructural strength of the state.
Speaking through his deputy governor, Dr Babafemi Hamzat at the unveiling of the exercise at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Thursday evening, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu noted that the aerial mapping will equally help in updating the state data, adding that the exercise will assist the state government to plan adequately for the betterment of the residents.
The exercise, according to him, formed part of state’s critical component of the Enterprise, Geographic Information System (EGIS) upgrade, aimed at providing a digital mapping platform.
The Cessna aircraft with the registration number ZS-SSY from South Africa, the deputy governor confirmed would conduct the exercise for at least four and half hours daily for about six weeks, depending on the weather, while it would also fly at 4,500ft below the sea level.
According to the deputy Governor, the international standard is for a government to carry out mapping and survey of its area at least every five years, hence, the State Government’s determination to make life more convenient and secured for the Lagos State residents.
His said: “The aircraft has a huge camera. When it flies it can capture a coin. It flies relatively low at about 4,000ft below sea level. The essence is for it to capture everything that is in Lagos state. It can go and come back. There are layers of flying. The essence for us is to know what is in Lagos. It has a glider that can capture water and land. It would be flying about four and half 4 hours daily, depending on the weather.
“We have done it before. Lagos like any other city is dynamic. What we had five years ago is not what you have today. The international standard is to do it every five years so that you can update your data base and everything. So, basically, what it does is that you are able to map every inch of soil in your land, various buildings where you have your allocations and sizes.
“The essence is to know the data of your state and what that does is to enable you to plan. What you cannot really measure, you cannot really manage it. So, the essence for us is to be able to measure every inch of Lagos and its size.
“For us, fortunately, census is coming up in March. If you have all those gladder information, you are able to map it with you census and it determines everything. It allows you to have enormous data to plan for your citizens so that you don’t globe in the dark.”
Hamzat who said the State Government had been carrying out the exercise since 2009 but chose to migrate to a bigger aircraft for more effectiveness and enhanced performance, urged Lagos residents not to panic when they see the aircraft pass through their domains in low altitude, stressing that it’s for the benefit of all.
Commenting on the development, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Enterprise, Geographic Information System (EGIS) and Planning Matters, Dr Olajide Babatunde, said the project would lead to the mapping of the state’s lands even as he hinted that after the successful mapping of the state that the government would also embark on surveying of the land.
While declaring that the exercise was part of the projects of the enterprise geographic information system that the state was building to be able to tackle some challenges bedeviling the state at the moment, Sanwo-Olu remarked: “What we are doing now is mapping and thereafter we will do survey. This will enable us to have our spatial data infrastructure complete.
“Currently, our land use data base shows that we have over 600,000 properties in the state. However, I know we have more than that. And you know if you don’t have title deeds plan, you cannot even go to the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA)for building approval,” he said.
The Cessna 406 aircraft operating team had been carrying out the exercise over the years in various African countries including Mozambique, Kenya, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Niger and Rwanda.
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