December 12, (THEWILL) – River State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated the N6.5 billion Benue Geographic Information Service Centre project in Makurdi, the state capital.
Performing the ceremony on Monday, Governor Wike noted that with the inauguration, the Benue state government would have reduced the problems associated with land administration to a minimum level.
“With BENGIS, cases of missing files are things of the past, as it will also impact more on the state’s internally generated revenue. Ortom is a man of taste and quality given the completion of this project.”
Governor Wike, who challenged staff of the ministry to ensure that Benue derives maximum benefit from the project, stated that if governor Ortom is voted to the Senate in 2023, his voice will be heard, as he will speak for the downtrodden Nigerians.
He called on the people of Benue North West senatorial zone, to vote for Ortom, whom he described as a man of quality and integrity that fights injustice and marginalisation.
Governor Ortom, who presented the project for the inauguration, said since the commencement of the BENGIS Project, the Land Digitisation Initiative has greatly improved Urban Planning, infrastructure development, environmental management and encouraged private investment.
“With the commissioning of the historic Project today, we have achieved the International Best Practice in Land Administration in the State. I am optimistic that this Project will attract the World Bank’s Grant of USD$2.5 Million through SFTAS Programme to be applied for developmental Projects in the State.”
According to him, the Land Use Act Cap L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007, vests all land in the territory of a State on the Governor of the State, to be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Governor Ortom explained that the powers given to the Governor in connection with this trust and administration include control and management of all land in the Urban areas, designation of Urban areas, granting of Statutory Rights of Occupancy, granting of easements, demanding and revision of rents, power to enter and inspect, power to give consent for mortgage and other transactions, power to revoke Rights of Occupancy, and power to delegate.
Earlier, the Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Mr Bernard Unenge, said the project was fully completed, furnished and equipped with high-tech state-of-the-art facilities, while Aerial survey and mapping of the entire state with high-resolution orthophotos, conversion of analogue map plans and files to the digital system, staff training, and procurement of survey and other technical equipment have been put in place.
Mr Unenge explained that in the course of the project, additional components on field registration/data enumeration of residential and commercial structures were introduced to attract a World Bank infrastructural development grant and commended governor Ortom for initiating and pushing the project to completion during his tenure.
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