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By Kelechi Ogunleye
The Federal Government says Geospatial data is essential to solving Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
Mr Clem Agba, Minister for State for Budget and National Planning, made this known on Tuesday during a one-day sensitisation workshop held at the Ministry of Finance Headquarters in Abuja.
Agba, represented by Mr Zakari Lawal, Senior Assistant to the minister said that the institutionalisation of the use of spatial evidence to support decision-making was imperative.
Agba said that the Ministry is currently supporting sub-national governments to uptake the use of geospatial technology in projects delivery.
The minister said that the support was mostly in infrastructure development, education and health service considering issues around population demography in Nigeria.
He said that the use of spatial evidence in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was one of the key strategies enshrined in the national monitoring and evaluation policy.
He said that the workshop aimed to establish capacities to analyse and visualise geospatial data to support planning and service delivery program.
“ Programmes under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) and the National Development Plan (NDP), 2021-2025.
“ Geospatial technology is also central to the Management Information System and Geographical Information System (MIS/GIS) implementation in the ministry.
“ The visualisation of MIS/GIS data has led to objective allocation, monitoring, evaluation of programs , projects and policies of the federal government,” he said.
The minister also said that the application of geospatial data in planning and implementation of programmes and projects in guaranteeing the wellbeing of Nigerians cannot be overemphasised.
“The use of geospatial data has now become vital and central to any development effort in the world and Nigeria cannot be left behind.
“It is now a global best practice as an integral of monitoring and evaluating of government programs, project and policies,” he said.
Agba encouraged all participants of the workshop to take very seriously topics and areas discussed because of the importance of geospatial technology to various organisations and Nigeria at large.
(NAN)
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