The African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AFRIGIST) in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State plans to tackle environmental management and sustainable socioeconomic development in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, drew the attention of management to disciplines that will promote food security, regional integration, population matters, and control of natural disasters such as desertification, drought, floods and erosion.

Represented by Surveyor General of the Federation, Abudulganiyu Adebomehin, Fashola explained that these are the specialised fields of geospatial information science and technology integrating photogrammetry and remote-sensing, Geographic Information Science (GIS) and cartography.

The Minister also revealed that the activities of the institute have positively impacted on member-states and Nigeria’s efforts towards addressing problems of agricultural production, monitoring and protection of the environment, exploration and exploitation of oil and solid minerals.

He said AFRIGIST has trained manpower for 27 member states, including Nigeria establishments such as the Survey Department of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, the National Population Commission and National Planning Commission.

Others include the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the Nigerian Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force), the Universities and Polytechnics.

He further stated that the institute has offered training in short-term courses for technicians, technologists and postgraduates in geospatial fields, as well as its portfolio of innovative geospatial information science and technology for the past 50 years.

“It is in realisation of its essential role in critical manpower development and capacity building in Africa that spurred the unalloyed commitment of the Nigerian Government to the development of various infrastructures such as the new administrative complex, health centre.”

Also, the Representative of the Ghanaian government, Naa Abukari, said that the Institute formerly known as Regional Centre for Technology and Aerospace Science (RECTAS) has been a foremost actor in matters of geospatial information science and technology in Africa.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Akingbade Olusola, thanked the Federal Government for funding capital projects such as the administrative complex and the health centre facility that were commissioned.