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Aiyedatiwa Receives NASRDA DG, Reaffirms Ondo’s Readiness for Strategic Collaboration
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to productive partnerships with relevant government agencies and private institutions as part of efforts to accelerate economic growth and sustainable development in the state.
The governor stated this on Tuesday while receiving the management team of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) at the Governor’s Office in Akure.
Represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, the governor emphasized the critical role of science and technology in driving innovation across key sectors of the economy.
“Science and technology remain central to modern governance and economic advancement. As a government, we are open and willing to collaborate with credible institutions such as NASRDA to unlock new opportunities for development in Ondo state,” the governor said.
He commended NASRDA for its contributions to national development, particularly in the deployment of space technology for governance, research, and resource management, assuring the agency of the state government’s readiness to partner in mutually beneficial areas.
Earlier, in his introductory remarks, the Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Mathew Adepoju, explained that the team was in Ondo state to engage with the management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) on fine-tuning the integration of the proposed Federal University of Aerospace and Aeronautics, Oka-Akoko, with FUTA.
Dr Adepoju recalled that although the university had been duly passed by the National Assembly, its take-off was stalled due to a seven-year moratorium placed on the establishment of new public universities and polytechnics by the previous administration.
He noted that the proposed NASRDA-FUTA arrangement would enable the agency and FUTA to operate the existing facilities at Oka-Akoko, thereby strengthening training, research, and innovation in space science and technology for students and academics.
The NASRDA Director-General further urged the state government to consider the agency’s proposals for collaboration in the application of space technology for sustainable development and efficient resource utilization.
Revealing ongoing collaborations with other states and federal institutions, Adepoju said NASRDA’s technologies are already enhancing governance and service delivery nationwide.
“We are in technical collaborations with many states across the country. Currently, we are running the Imo GIS centre to improve land administration, which we developed for the Imo state government from scratch.
“While many states have some form of GIS centres, very few are properly set up and technically enabled to deliver the level of service such infrastructure should provide.” he said.
He added, “We recently signed a MoU with the EFCC to mainstream our space technology into the fight against financial crimes. We are tracking both movable and immovable assets for the commission.”
The high point of the meeting was the formal submission of partnership proposals to the Ondo state government in areas including agriculture, land use management, security, and environmental monitoring.
The meeting was attended by top state government officials and members of the NASRDA delegation, including the Chairman, State Hospital Management Board, Dr Olusegun Ategbole; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Kola Falohun; NASRDA Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr Felix Ale; and Director, Space Transport and Propulsion, Lagos, Dr Nelson Ibigbami, among others.
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