Examining Reliability of GPS for Palliatives’ Distribution
TECH HUB
Experts have argued that the federal government’s move to distribute palliatives through the Global Positioning System would not be accurate without a unified database and identified coordinates, writes Ayodeji Ake
As a way to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, had announced the use of the global tech, Global Positioning System (GPS), to ensure the effective distribution of palliatives to Nigerians, especially the vulnerable.
She had assured that the GPS would help in confirming palliatives received even in remote locations in Nigeria.
The GPS is a global technology that navigates satellite systems that provide location, velocity and time synchronisation. GPS is everywhere. It can be found on smartphones, watches, and cars.
It can be used for location, determining a position; mapping, creating maps of the world; timing, making it possible to take precise time measurement; tracking, monitoring objects or personal movement; and navigation, getting from one location to the other.
In an exclusive with THISDAY, GPS expert, Mr. Adesanya Ayodeji, argued that, although distribution of palliatives through GPS is possible, Nigeria lacks the database that should include the coordinates, the latitude and longitude, to target people in both rural and urban areas.
He acknowledged that GPS is a global technology that could be found everywhere but more effective in open places and when closer to the satellite.
He revealed that the most effective use of GPS in Nigeria is in logistics and transportation as riders and drivers have been recorded as the highest users of GPS.
He said: “GPS means a wide range of things – satellite, maps, mobile apps and other technologies. GPS powers them. The popular use of GPS in Nigeria is with smartphones, Google Maps, and Apple Maps. A lot of drivers and riders today in Nigeria make use of GPS for easy movement.
“They are the ones who use the GPS the most in Nigeria. And the usage is about 90 per cent.
“GPS works with the satellite in the atmosphere. The accuracy of a GPS depends on where you are. GPS becomes more accurate outdoors where the satellite can easily pick up signals.
Although it works well indoors or in remote places too but is not as accurate as being outdoors and in a free space. Weather affects GPS.
“GPS is a global tech and what gives more access is a strong device and a close satellite. The accuracy of GPS in rural and urban areas depends on what the GPS is used for. It could be used for mapping. If the government today wants to build schools in a community and because there is no physical address available, GPS tech will be useful to know the coordinates of the existing schools. In the same activity, it can also be used to create a map.
“It is possible to distribute palliatives with GPS but Nigeria doesn’t have the backup using the GPS. Even in the urban area, the government does not have a strong database to account for people.”
Explaining the workings of GPS, Ayodeji noted that, the coordinates, latitude, and longitude are more important than a physical address.
He argued that the physical addresses can only give the temporary location of residents, but taking coordinates would leave a map even if residents exit the previous premises and would make it easier for the government to run community-based projects like palliative distribution.
“The palliatives to be distributed are meant most importantly for the poor and the poorest. Before GPS can be used, it should mean that there is a strong database. The database should be latitude and longitude, which helps with location.
“So, GPS can only work when we have a database and record of everyone in Nigeria. This information will help with the record to identify the poor and the poorest for efficiency.
“GPS doesn’t deal with addresses. Yes, you can write an address on a map but using GPS as a means of palliative distribution to the location must be taken into cognisance to get the latitude and longitude.
“As earlier mentioned, the most important is the database. If there is no unified database, then the use of GPS to distribute palliatives is not realistic. How does the government know the existence of people in remote locations without a database?
“But when they have a record about them by GPS coordinate then the palliatives will be easy to get to them. It’s impossible to distribute to people you don’t know their location,” he said.
He also dismissed the possibility of token transfer to vulnerable Nigerians through GPS.
“Yes, I admit that palliatives could come in the form of foodstuff or money transfer, while it’s impossible to distribute foodstuff with GPS without having a unified database, it’s also impossible to do cash transfer with GPS, “he added.
Ayodeji, while sharing his professional ideas, noted that although it’s a commendable idea that the federal government would conduct the next census through the use of technology – biometrics, it was also not a recipe for GPS accuracy without coordinates.
“Using biometrics for the coming census as announced is a good idea, but a database without coordinates, or GPS won’t work. Using GPS in information gathering doesn’t require a written address but coordinates (location) as earlier mentioned is what matters.
“Preparing for the census, instead of a living address, coordinates are better because the residents may not stay in the axis permanently but there would be people living there which will help with the coordinates rather than getting the person’s address. So, in the future, if a particular location is needed, it can be used to trace back. GPS is about location and address.
“The location has to be attached to a person. The location can’t work in isolation. The only reason why we can use location to distribute palliatives is when it’s attached to a person,” he said.
NIN Irrelevant without Coordinate
The GPS expert, while discussing the relevance of GPS, added that coordinates should have been added to the recent National Identification Number (NIN) registration.
He said the registration was just for the serial number, which was part of the database. But a GPS-enabled database must be coordinated, he emphasised.
“The truth is that we already have a database in Nigeria. NIN is a database but there is no coordinate. After the NIN registration, we only get a number, but it doesn’t contain the coordinates of latitude and longitude which are the basics of GPS.
“Rather we only have a physical address. It’s important to add the element of latitude and longitude before the government starts thinking of using GPS as a means of contact. Especially distributing palliatives as mentioned. Then extend database information to driver’s licenses and other things but the use of GPS coordinates is important.
“If the government wants to, for example, know the number of people living in a 200-meter radius of a particular coordinate, they can only do that if they know the latitude or longitude of the residents which is more difficult than physical address. It’s very accurate.
“For the government to know the number of people on a street and understand what’s going on in different places.
“When a software is linked with a system where the GPS is connected, it gives the accurate number of with location address and not the physical address. GPS helps to understand demography because it is a location in tally with people’s information,” she said.
