Geo-Information Society of Nigeria (GEOSON) says there is the need to change the curriculum for Geo-information studies and related courses to fit in to modern advances in geospatial technology.
The President of GEOSON, Dr Matthew Adepoju, said this while speaking on the challenges bedevilling the growth of the profession in Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.
He explained that the level at which geo-information was advancing had passed the standard of the studies in the country’s tertiary institutions.
“Part of the area that has affected the adoption of geospatial technology in the country is the area of capacity building.
“Our universities and polytechnics need to rejig their curriculum to fit in with the modern advances in geospatial technology and mapping techniques.
“At the level they are now, when the graduate comes out, there is so much for the graduate out there to develop on.
“The universities are just structured to chunk out graduates to go and look for job, whereas the curriculum should be structured to reel out the job creators.
“There are a lot of work that a young Geographic Information System, Survey graduate can do by themselves if well-equipped from the school,”Adepoju said.
The president also blamed out-dated geospatial technology government policies on the delayed development in the sector.
According to him, the practice has survived on a Survey Coordination Act created in the 1960’s.
“We need to review the legislature because we have a Survey Coordination Act of 1965 and if you look at the development that has happened since the 1960’s, a lot of things have changed.
“As at that time, space in the country was still at the scientific level and now the application of space science and technology has broadened the scope.
“Unfortunately, we do not have a law that regulates the practice,’’ he said.
He, however, said that GEOSON was working on getting a new law for the profession to enable the country be part of the practice globally.
Adepoju added that the Ninth Assembly had made promises to pass the new act into law before the end of their tenure.
The GEOSON president also urged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to patronise geospatial technology practice at the private level.
According to him, if government organisations patronise this practice, it will have contributed to the growth of the profession and its practice in Nigeria.
“The agenda of the federal government to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty cannot be achieved until we regulate all these areas.
“By regulating them, we are making sure that the country is run in a way that it is private sector driven,’’ he said.
