Oyo Lawmaker Akintunde Advocates for Nigeria’s First Geomatics University, Cites Key Reasons
- Senator Yunus Akintunde has called for upgrading the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, into Nigeria’s first Geomatics University to keep pace with global tech trends
- The bill, first proposed in July 2024, has passed its second reading in the Senate, with strong support from key lawmakers emphasizing its impact on manpower development
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio has referred the bill to the standing committee on tertiary institutions and TETFund for further legislative review.
Senator Yunus Akintunde, Ph.D., has called for the upgrade of the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, to a full-fledged university, emphasizing the need for Nigeria to keep pace with global technological advancements.
Akintunde, who represents Oyo Central under the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this known while reacting to the passage of his bill seeking the establishment of the Federal University of Geomatics.
Source: Original
The bill, which has now scaled its second reading in the Senate, was first proposed by the lawmaker in July 2024.
According to Akintunde, the proposed university will be an upgrade of the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, which is the first school of surveying in Africa and Nigeria’s oldest technical training institution, established on July 1, 1908.
“The school currently produces professionals in Geo-informatics, including Land Surveying, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Hydrography, Cartography, and Geographical Information System (GIS),” Akintunde stated.
He added that transforming the institution into a university would significantly boost Nigeria’s economy and align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.
The bill has received strong backing from key figures in the Senate. Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Monguno (Borno East), underscored the importance of the institution in addressing the expertise gap in Nigeria’s surveying sector.
He noted that establishing a university would enhance manpower development and elevate the country’s surveying standards to international levels.
Similarly, Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), highlighted the critical role of surveying in various sectors, including agriculture, land administration, and security.
He further emphasized the institution’s century-long contributions to learning in the field of surveying.
Following unanimous approval during the second reading, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the standing committee on tertiary institutions and TETFund for further legislative action.
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Source: Legit.ng
