The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, has described Nigeria’s Defence Space Administration (DSA) as a highly professionalised and technologically driven domain that plays an important role in modern warfare.
He noted the institution’s ability to exploit and analyse imageries, satellite data and geospatial information, which are necessary for the assessment and description of physical features and geographically referenced activities on earth.
Pheelangwah made the assertion during a familiarisation visit he made to the DSA’s management and facilities in Abuja on Wednesday.
He acknowledged the strategic role of the agency on the Nigerian Armed Forces in maintaining the nation’s defence architecture and safeguarding its sovereignty, maintaining that the accomplishments of the current administration has placed it at a competitive status locally and globally, therefore called for a sustained collaboration with the ministry and other sister agencies to consolidate on these gains.
While pledging the ministry’s continued support to ameliorating some of the challenges being faced by the agency, especially some of its long term projects, the permanent secretary reiterated the need for stronger military–civilian collaboration, targeted development in training capabilities, prudence in financial management and transparency in line with financial regulations.
He also recognised the leadership support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the guidance and encouragement of the ministers of defence in piloting the affairs of the ministry.
Earlier in his speech, the Chief of Defence Space Administration, Major-General Phillip Ilodibia, appreciated the ministry’s support to the administration over the years.
He pointed out some challenges such as lack of comfortable and adequate accommodation for officers, paucity of funds, as well as the administration being left out in the provision of advisory role to some government activities.
He, however proposed to the leadership of the ministry that issues of national security relating to space should be left for DSA to handle while other entities in the space ecosystem should focus on non military and non security issues.
The permanent secretary’s team and the principal staff officers of the administration were shown round the facilities of the DSA such as Geospatial Intelligence, Fusion and Data Centre, the Cyber Centre and the laboratory.
