|
 Daily
Independent Online.
* Wednesday, June 16, 2004.
Obasanjo wants satellite for 2005 census
By Gbenga
Abiodun,
State House, Abuja
President
Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday asked the managers of the nation’s
satellite, Nigeria Sat-1 to prepare to deploy it for use in the quest to
obtain an accurate figure in next year’s head count.
He said with
the remote sensing capacity of the Satellite, Nigeria’s inability to
obtain a near accurate figure at previous census exercises should be a
thing of the past.
According to
the president, who spoke at the opening session of a national workshop on
Satellite Remote Sensing of Nigeria Sat-1 Data Validation organised by
the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) at Le Meriden
Hotel, Abuja, the prospects of solving this age-long problem along with
several others are high.
Obasanjo
noted that the international perception of Nigeria as a country rife with
ethno-religious crises has changed to one in a new race for space
technology since the launch of the Nigerian Sat-1 last September.
The president
expressed delight at the achievements of the Ministry of Science and
Technology and the Space Agency both of which have been working
tirelessly to ensure that the data being generated from the Nigerian
satellite are made available to fast track the development of the
country.
“I am delighted that they took
that decision to launch Nigeria Sat-1,” he said, while agreeing that it
might have been a bit late, “But better late than never.”
With the
advantages of remote sensing, President Obasanjo enthused that “some past
problems can now be solved in the areas of environment, irrigation,
minerals, tourism and census.”
Stressing
further on the census, he said, “Through remote sensing, there is no
excuse not to be able to count ourselves accurately.”
The Minister
of Science and Technology, Professor Turner Isoun, in his remarks at the
occasion explained that the objectives of the workshop was to sensitise
stakeholders and users of satellite images on the utilisation of Nigeria
Sat-1 data in various areas of socio-economic activities and sustainable
national development, adding that with the launch of Sat-1, Nigeria had
become a “Satellite Information Provider.”
President
Obasanjo, however, asked the National Space Research and Development
Agency NASRDA) headed by Professor Babatunde Boroface to work towards the
launch of a Communication Satellite in the shortest possible time.
Boroface
later gave the hint that over 10 big companies have already submitted
bids for the project of a communication satellite now before the agency.
He added that
the earlier international criticism greeted the launch of Nigeria Sat-1
had given way to international optimism and support for the project.
|
