Africa-Press – Uganda. A total of 13 personnel from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces have successfully completed training in geospatial map reading.
The two-month training at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) Gadaffi Barracks in Jinja, covered areas of Spatial Conversion in Maps, remote sensing and geographical information, system application, printing, and reading of maps.
The Director of Personnel and Administration in the UPDF Air Force, Brig Rebecca Mpagi, who represented Lt Gen Charles Lutaya commended the officers for completing the training course in a bid to further professionalise the forces.
“You are the pioneers, continue with research because it’s our time as UPDF to make our own maps. You are now the trainers of trainers,” she said.
The commandant of URDCC Brig Peter Gaitano Omora congratulated grandaunts upon their achievement amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is the first batch of geospatial map experts training in the force and they have been urged to practice the acquired skills in all deployments since UPDF trained them to fill gaps in mapping.
Mr Wilson Ogalo, the commissioner of surveys and mapping in the Lands Ministry, commended UPDF for supporting the initiative, adding that the project will have a new team that can now revise, analyse and make maps.
UPDF Chief of Operations in Land Forces, Brig Gen Francis Chemonges, Chief of Staff URDCC Brig Gen Johnson Muma, and Commandant Non Commissioned Officers Academy Col Saad Katamba, among others attended the function.
