By; IYOKPO J. EGBODO, Abuja.
Members of theHouse of Representatives Committee on Works has expressed concern over the N3.6 billion satellite imagery contract awarded by the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF), to Enterprise Information Technology Limited since 2012.
According to committee, led by Hon. Toby Okechukwu, while on oversight visit to the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, it appeared the contract was not 100 percent implemented as claimed by the office.
The committee which asked for images of specific areas around the country could not get them, asnofficials of the OSGOF told the members that the images captured were just raw data and that further work ought to be done to get specific images of affected areas.
Dissatisfied with the explanations, the committee also expressed worries over the OSGOF’s decision release its data to some government agencies for no fee at all, to some while other non-governmental organizations at subsidized rates. It therefore demanded the details of the satellite imagery contract with the company and contracts with other companies, and other related information.
However, representative of the surveyor general and a director in the office, Barde Jatau, disclosed that it was based on a decision of a meeting with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), through which only 25 government agencies were to benefit from the data free of charge.
He noted that bodies such the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Air Force and other security agencies use their data for their operations.
