By Emmanuel Oluwakorede
The Kogi State Government says it is taking steps to modernise land administration through the digitisation of land records.
To this end, the Government through the Bureau of Lands is reintroducing Geographic Information System, GIS, to improve efficiency of land administration in the State.
When the Director-General, Kogi State Bureau of Lands, Town Planner Kehinde Augustine Salihu Otaru, assumed duty in July last year, part of the challenges he met on ground is non functionality of the Geographic Information System.
While speaking on State of Kogi, a Radio Kogi audience participatory Programme on Monday in Lokoja, the Director General said efforts are on to revive the system which according to him is in line with global best practices.
He said the Bureau had previously relied heavily on tracing papers and printed maps, but was now putting the necessary facilities in place to move land administration into the digital age.
Town Planner Otaru explained that the GIS would enable the government to properly organise and locate parcels of land while making relevant land information easily accessible.
He said the move was to take most land services online, allowing residents to carry out transactions without necessarily visiting the Bureau physically.
The Director-General said the Bureau was also reviewing existing layouts within the Lokoja metropolis to correct distortions and encroachments, particularly on roads captured in government designs.
He stressed that Lokoja, as the state capital, must be properly planned and developed in accordance with physical planning regulations.
On the ongoing airport project, Town Planner Otaru said all gray areas in terms of compensation have been sorted with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo who has approved commencement of payments to affected persons.
Town Planer Otaru advised communities to exercise caution when allocating land to companies and investors, stressing the need for proper documentation and relevant assessments, including Environmental Impact Assessments, before land is released for major projects.
He also explained that communities, traditional rulers and Local Government authorities have legal limits regarding the allocation of land, particularly in areas under government control, while appealing to families to properly document their ancestral lands to establish legal ownership and prevent future disputes.
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