CSOs task NASS on improved funding for Surveyor General’s office

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Peace and Good Governance says the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) needs funding to effectively resolve boundary disputes in the country.

Mr Jonathan Ogwuche, the Convener of the coalition, therefore, appealed to the 9th National Assembly to give the needed attention to OSGOF to enable it resolve boundary disputes, at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

He noted that the appeal became necessary in view of series intra/interstate boundary disputes as well as rampant spate of building collapse and other associated losses.

Ogwuche commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the attention given to OSGOF during his first tenure that gave rise to the significant milestones achieved within the last four years.

He however urged the incoming members of the National Assembly to pay attention to the OSGOF.

“Recall that Nigeria was riddled with interstate and several communities boundary disputes on one hand, while on the other matters of housing and citing of infrastructure where only shabbily attended to.

“This came with its attendant challenges including a rampant spate of building collapse and other associated losses.

“We were therefore delighted when this government decided to give proper attention to the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation with the necessary support as fillip for success.

“Today, the surveying and mapping systems deployed by the Office of the Surveyor General are miles ahead of what hitherto obtained.”

The CSOs applauded the Surveyor General, Dr Ebisintei Awudu for his foresight and ingenuity in reengineering the wheels of the office that had brought it back from oblivion and urged him to remain resolute in the service to the nation.

The group particularly highlighted some of the achievements of the Surveyor General to include expansion of the office from six to 12 technical departments with the approval of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Ogwuche said that at present, the office had Survey and Mapping Units in eight ministries where it pooled eight Resident Surveyors.

“The Surveyor General has ensured that the Schemes of Service for Surveyors, Survey Technologists, Survey Technicians and Craftsman cadres have been revised to conform to international best practices of Surveying and Mapping profession,” Ogwuche said.