The Lagos State government has concluded plans to conduct an aerial mapping of the state.
The government is deploying a Cessna 406 aircraft to conduct the exercise under its Enterprise Geographic Information System (EGIS) and would last two months.
The exercise was designed to carry out the mapping and survey of the state to have an idea of the total number of houses in order to aid planning and development.
The state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, inspected the aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
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The aircraft with registration number ZS-SSY from South Africa would be piloted by Capt. Tertius Van Wky.
The deputy governor who spoke with newsmen after inspecting the aircraft alongside other government officials stated that the mapping would enable the government to plan adequately for the residents of the state.
He was joined at the inspection by the Special Adviser to the governor on EGIS and Planning, Dr Olajide Babatunde and the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hakeem Fahm, among others.
Hamzat said the exercise would be done for at least four and half hours daily for about six weeks, depending on the weather.
He allayed fears among residents of Lagos, saying the aircraft, which would fly at an extremely low altitude, would reach every part of the state including areas without regular aircraft movement.
“For us, fortunately, the census is coming up in March. If you have all that information, you are able to map it with your census and it determines everything. It allows you to have enormous data to plan for your citizens so that you don’t globe in the dark,” he said.