Cross River Inaugurates Continuous Operating Reference Station

Eme Offiong, Calabar

The governor of Cross River State in southern Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu, has commissioned a Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) for enhanced geospatial management.

A Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) is used to improve the accuracy of GPS data by providing exact location information by collecting signals from satellites and comparing them to a known, fixed location.

The data is then used to correct GPS signals, making them more accurate for land surveying, mapping, and navigation applications.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Nsa Gill, indicated that the deputy governor launched the station as part of the government’s deliberate efforts to leverage technology for land management.

Gill further indicated that the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Odey, who represented Otu, said the administration would utilise CORS for sustainable development by improving geospatial management.

He noted that Governor Otu said, “We are proud that this is the first time this technology is being introduced to the state to get accurate data about land. We believe that if we had this technology some years ago, Cross River would not have suffered the injustice where part of its land and oil wells were ceded.”

The governor’s spokesman indicated that Otu congratulated the Surveyor General of the state and his team for the feat achieved, emphasising “the technology would enhance documentation of land-related matters, ease processing of certificates of occupancy for land owners, as well as put an end to land disputes.”

The Chief Press Secretary noted that the Surveyor General,  Mr. Patrick Bassey, said the government’s determination to generate accurate, reliable, and precise geospatial data for effective land administration and other areas of planning and development was commendable.

According to Gill, Bassey explained that CORS would serve Cross River State in many ways, stressing, “This subscription-based service will be used for large-scale mapping, cadastral survey, flood plain mapping, fleet management, DEM generation, crustal deformation and plate tectonics study, dam deformation study and structural health monitoring, land subsidence and vertical ground motion study, impacting revenue generation to the state,” he further informed.

Gill further stated that the Principal Consultant in Sacredion Tersus Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chika Okorocha, said the acquisition of CORS technology, one installed in Ikom and Calabar with a third soon to be launched, has propelled Cross River to a new era of precision and progress.

He quoted Okorocha: “The initiative is more than a technological advancement; it is a commitment to innovation, accuracy, and sustainable development.

“In a world where data drives decision-making, the Continuous Operating Reference Station will provide us with the reliable geospatial data we need to empower our communities, strengthen our economy, and protect our environment,” he stated.

The spokesperson indicated that the principal consultant appealed for the training of personnel who would manage and provide geospatial intelligence for optimal utilisation of the application.