The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has inaugurated the 7th Governing Council of the 114 year- old Federal School of Surveying (FSS), Oyo, with the Surveyor- General of the Federation (SGoF), Surveyor Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, as the Chairman.
The event, which was pursuant to Part 1, Section 2 of the FSS Act (No.19) of 25 th June 1990 was witnessed by the President of the Surveyor Council of Nigeria (SURCON), Surveyor Clement Nwabiche and one of the early principals of the school, an octogenarian, Surveyor (Chief) Benjamin A. Lala, among other dignitaries.
A statement issued by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor- General of the Federation (OSGoF), Abu, I. Michael, in Abuja on Thursday, said Fashola, who was represented by the SGoF, charged the new governing council to provide the school management with a policy direction for its growth and expansion in line with the vision and mission of the school.
He called on the rector and members of management of the school to work in tandem with the governing council to ensure formulation of good policies to entrench the legacies of academic prowess, adding that efforts were in the top gear to quicken the transformation of the school to a full-fledged university.
In her address of welcome, the Rector of the school, Surveyor (Dr.) Dupe Nihinlola Olayinka- Dosunmu, disclosed that the last council had approved the proposed nomenclature of the school as Federal University of Geospatial Sciences and Environmental Technology, Oyo.
She said with the support of the Minister of Works and Housing, the necessary directives have been given for sensitization and contacts with relevant stakeholders among other efforts.
According to the rector, the school was not only the first to graduate students in digital technology in the country, saying that the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) adopted its curricula to develop the current national curricula for polytechnics offering surveying and geoinformatics.
She noted that the school has also mounted a Postgraduate Diploma in Geographic Information System (GIS), another pioneering feat in the country in addition to the accreditation for the running 3 more courses: Computer Science, Cartography and GIS, Photogrammetry and remote-Sensing at National Diploma level.
Olayinka- Dosunmu said the school was synonymous with the development of surveying in Nigeria hence it was established on 1 st July, 1908 at Onikan in Lagos for the training of African assistants for colonial surveyors.
The SURCON President, Nwabiche in his goodwill message described the school as the citadel of surveying in the country, expressing delight over the efforts being made for its transformation to a full-fledged university.
He said it has been realized that no society in the world can do without geospatial data, and pledged the support of SURCON for further development of the school.
Highlight of the event was the commissioning of the new swimming facility as part of the requirement for the take-off of the Department of Hydrography of the school by the chairman and members of the newly inaugurated governing council.
The council comprised Surveyor Semiu Akanni Ayinde representing Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation; Dr. Sanjo Faniran, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning; Mr. Adama Sabo James, Federal Ministry of Education; Mr. Olajide Ode-Martins, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; Surveyor ( Major) Muhammed Garba, Armed Forces; and the Oyo State Surveyor General, Surveyor Abiodu S. Alaba.
Others were Surveyor Hassan Abdullahi representing state Surveyor Generals; Surveyor Badamosi Tahir of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NS); Surveyor (Mrs.) Evelyn Olomu representing other bodies engaged in the practice of surveying and mapping and the school rector, Olayinka- Dosunmu; while the Registrar of the school, Oyekola O. Oyedele is to serve as secretary of the council.
