Since Nigeria attained nationhood following her independence in 1960, it t has created many national institutions to enhance developments in all sectors, which are yielding appreciable results. The importance of these institutions, created by successive governments to help actualise the country’s development objectives and aspirations, cannot be over-emphasised. This is because the nation’s growth and development can only be actualised by the building of strong institutions.
Previous administrations in the country had been accused of playing politics with the functions of these institutions by the creation of another institution, which functions were duplicated in order to serve the rent seeking interests of those in power.
Today, a careful study of many of the ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, in the country and their functions and mandates will show that, indeed, there are many of our national institutions in existence that are performing the same or similar functions.
With the advent of the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Tinubu, it’s believed that the era when MDAs fight each other over overlapping functions is gone. But recent events point to the fact that this issue is still very much with us and many are already calling on the president to, immediately, put in place remedial measures to nip the undesirable situation in the bud.
One area of concern to show that the issue of duplication of functions of agencies of government is still prevalent is the recent directive by Mr President to all governmental agencies to go to the National Population Commission, NPC, for their satellite data need. In all modesty, this is a violation of the Act establishing the NPC and a usurpation of the functions and mandates of the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA.
A careful study of the enabling laws of the two agencies will show that NASRDA is the only legally authorised repository of satellites data over the country and any other agency performing this function is contravening the laws of the land.
Section 6(k) of the NASRDA Act 2010 states: “NASRDA shall be the repository of all satellites data over Nigeria’s territories and, accordingly, all collaborations and consultations in space data related matters in Nigeria shall be carried out or undertaken by, or with the agency. The NASRDA Act is explicit and unambiguous on this subject and it is high time the present administration took steps to avert any infractions of this Act.
Recently, it was observed that the NPC acquired satellite images and data over Nigeria without recourse to NASRDA. This was a violation of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and must not be allowed to continue; it is illegal and should be condemned by all advocates of strong institutions in order to achieve the development we all desire.
The NPC Act does not give it the mandate to, on its own, carry out the function of acquiring satellites data because it is not a repository of satellites data over Nigeria. We trust and know that our dear president, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is a known respecter of the law and a proponent of strong institutions in Nigeria, was misled into mandating agencies of government to take consult NPC for satellite data because it is contrary to the extant laws on satellite data repository.
The president must be told in clear terms that there are many areas of concerns and disadvantages in his recent directive to MDAs on this issue as the NPC as of today does not have the requisite manpower to manage satellite data because it does not have a ground station.
Although NASRDA has not officially commented on this issue, but this piece was written as a patriotic gesture to help the Tinubu renewed hope administration to get it right. It is, therefore, advisable that the president reviews his recent directive to MDAs about going to the NPC for satellites data and redirect them to NASRDA as required by law. One of the significant milestones of NASRDA was its successful acquisition of satellites for Nigeria.
This has helped the country in the promotion of its much needed sustainable developments in space sciences. Its satellites have been operating flawlessly ever since, remaining in orbit and providing data downlinks before NIGSAT-1 successful mission marked Nigeria’s entry as a space technology and earth intelligence country. Why then destroy all NASRDA has achieved with all its experience? The time to act is now.
Wada is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja
