The governor of Anambra State Chief Willie Obiano kicked-started year 2017 with another milestone following the completion of the Aerial Photography of the state which was presented to him in a brief ceremony in Awka, yesterday.
The governor stated this when he received the 10 centimeters multi-spectral Aerial Photography of the entire state with documents on the project from Aeroprecisa, the contractors, on Monday at the Exco Chambers, Government House Awka, Anambra State.
Governor Obiano expressed delight at the prompt delivery of the project and commended the contractors for providing a veritable tool for effective infrastructural development of the state which will serve as a vital resource for subsequent administrations.
Said he: “I congratulate you for this great work which will help a great deal in our planning. In fact, it is the nucleus for the development of Anambra which every administration will find very useful.”
According to him, the materials will be relevant in identifying potentials for land, and agricultural applications; provide coordinates that will enhance the existing security system in the State as well as help the state achieve its Geographic Information System (GIS) management activities.
As he put it, “I have no doubt that the quantum of data generated with proper coordinates will help us in most of our programmes like land management, agriculture, housing and even security.”
The governor also commended the contractors for a job well done, and revealed that the state would work with them to train government officials in Ministries and Agencies to effectively utilize the materials for the benefit of the state.
The Contract for the high resolution Aerial Photography of Anambra was awarded in 2015 following the successful completion of the aerial photography of Awka Capital Territory. The project covered a total of 4850 square kilometers with the ability to identify small objects of up to ten centimeters.
Earlier in a presentation, the Chief Executive Officer of Aeroprecisa, Dr. Karmal Azar, stated that with the Aerial photography project Anambra can enhance the effective delivery of its programmes. He identified three broad areas where the project can be of immense benefit to the state including: Mapping/GIS, Land Management and Infrastructural Planning. Dr. Azar noted that the delivery of the project has put Anambra into the comity of states who are keying into the provisions of the 21st century technological advancements for the benefit of its people.
Mr. Mike Okonkwo, the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTA), the coordinating Agency for the Project, said the Aerial photography is a prelude to the take-off of the GIS under which the land management across the state will be digitized and automated as obtains in developed cities of the world.
He explained that the system will create efficiency and precision which will translate into serious improvement in government’s land management and development control measures with great potentials for IGR and environmental management.
On his part, Mr. Chuka Ossai, GIS Analyst with Telecom Technologies International Limited, Project Consultants certified that the contractors executed the project in line with global standards and fulfilled all the parameters set for the state.
The highpoint of the event is the formal handover of the software and other digital materials and documents for the Aerial photography to the governor.
