Lagos to deploy Cessna for state’s aerial mapping

• Omni-Blu facilitates aircraft importation, monitors operations

In a bid to provide enhanced infrastructure and re-determine its land mass for economic development, the Lagos State Government has concluded plans to embark on aerial mapping of the state.

The State Government said that the exercise, which would commence very soon, would last for six to eight weeks, depending on the weather condition. A Cessna 406 aircraft would be deployed for the exercise.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Dominion Hangar at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat, said that the exercise was part of the state’s major component of the Enterprise, Geographic Information System (EGIS) upgrade, which is aimed at providing a digital mapping platform.

The Deputy Governor explained that the mapping would enable the government to plan appropriately for the residents of the state.

According to him, the exercise would also help in knowing the actual buildings and infrastructure in the state, while also helping to update its database.

He explained that the State Government would carry out the exercise daily for at least four and half hours for about six weeks, emphasizing that the equipment would also fly at 4,500ft below sea level.

Hamzat explained that the international standard is for a government to carry out mapping and survey of its area at least every five years, saying that the State Government was determined to make life more convenient for its residents, adding that the exercise would also be necessary for security.

He said, “The aircraft has a huge camera. When it flies it can capture a coin. It flies relatively low at about 4,000ft below sea level. The essence is for it to capture everything that is in Lagos state. It can go and come back. There are layers of flying. The essence for us is to know what is in Lagos. It has a glider that can capture water and land. It would be flying for about four and a half 4 hours daily, depending on the weather.

“We have done it before. Lagos like any other city is dynamic. What we had five years ago is not what you have today. The international standard is to do it every five years so that you can update your database and everything. So, basically, what it does is that you are able to map every inch of soil in your land, and various buildings where you have your allocations and sizes.

“The essence is to know the data of your state and what that does is to enable you to plan. What you cannot really measure, you cannot really manage it. So, the essence for us is to be able to measure every inch of Lagos and its size.”

Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Enterprise, Geographic Information System (EGIS), Dr. Olajide Babatunde, said the project would lead to the mapping of the state’s lands.

According to him, after the successful mapping of the state, the government would also embark on surveying the land.

He pointed out that the exercise was part of the projects of the enterprise geographic information system that the state was building to be able to solve some challenges bedeviling the state at the moment.

“Currently, our land use database shows that we have over 600,000 properties in the state. However, I know we have more than that. And you know if you don’t have a title deeds plan, you cannot even go to the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA)for building approval,” he said.

Capt. Tertius Van Wky, the pilot of the Cessna 406 aircraft said that the team had been carrying out the exercise over the years in various African countries.

He mentioned Mozambique, Kenya, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Rwanda as some of the countries the team had carried out the exercise in recent years, stressing that the project may span eight weeks, depending on the weather condition.

The Managing Director of Omni-Blu Aviation Limited, Capt. James Daniel said his firm started working on the project back in October 2022, adding, “Our operations facilitated the aircraft importation and will be monitoring the operations whilst it is here in Lagos. We are happy to be working with Lagos Interspatial to bring this operation to Lagos as we believe it’s a huge advancement for Lagos and hope for many other projects”.

Wole Shadare