we have no intention of grabbing any legitimate land titles, we are modernising land administration, Inuwa assures residents

People of Gombe State have been assured that the present APC led administration under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has no intention whatsoever to dispossess any individual or group of their legally acquired land titles.

The assurance was given by the governor, Inuwa while declaring open, a 2-day stakeholders engagement workshop on land administration, organized by the Gombe Geographic Information System (GOGIS).

The Governor declared that, “Let me use this opportunity to once again assure the good people of Gombe State that this government under my leadership has no intention whatsoever of dispossessing any individual or group of their legally acquired land titles. All rightful owners of land titles have no reason to fear about land-grabbing”.

Inuwa Yahaya explained that it is an established fact that a just and efficient land administration system is necessary in order to guarantee ownership and security of tenure, provision of security, support land and property taxation, monitor land transactions as well as reduce incessant disputes associated with the land.

According to him, “A good land administration system is also essential in order to improve urban planning, support infrastructural development and proper environmental management”.

He however observed that Nigeria, like Gombe State, is faced with the challenge of ensuring proper and orderly land administration which his administration is doing everything necessary to change the archaic process of land management.

The Governor said that, “You may wish to recall that while campaigning for election as the Governor of this great state, we noted with great concern, some of these challenges which include poor physical development planning, endemic corruption in land administration and unacceptable bureaucratic bottlenecks which have hampered the overall development of the state”.

He stressed that, “During the campaigns, we stressed the need to correct all irregularities in land administration so as to ensure sustainable use and proper management of our land”.

“Accordingly, one of the promises we made as contained in our manifesto, is that we will ensure the maintenance of an accurate database of all lands in the state and ensure the speedy acquisition of land title documents”, he reminded the people.

The Governor said that, “To achieve these, we pledged that, if elected, we will “strengthen the Gombe State Geographical Information System (GOGIS) through adequate funding, staffing and equipping to enable the Agency to deliver on its mandate”.

Inuwa Yahaya said while the immediate past administration established GOGIS, it did not see to its proper take-off despite engaging consultants and contractors, thereby expending hundreds of millions in the process without any visible results.

He said that the digitisation of land administration embarked upon by his government is aimed at improving urban planning and supporting infrastructural development and other critical areas in the state.

According to the Governor, “Today, all of you can bear testimony to the efforts we have made since assuming office to change the narrative by ensuring the successful take-off of GOGIS as an important agency of government through the provision of state-of-the-art office accommodation, operational vehicles and other necessary equipment including modern ICT infrastructure thereby ensuring proper implementation of the first phase of its establishment as an institution. Similarly, we awarded the contract for the second phase of its take-off which includes full digitalization of land administration in the state”.

He said that his administration has embraced the use of modern technology by awarding the contract for the aerial survey of the entire state using orthophoto technology in order to fast-track the issuance of digital certificates of occupancy as obtained in other states.

He said when completed, the project will upgrade the existing aerial photographs and Geographical maps of the state by producing high resolution (GIS) imagery which will enable clear identification of property boundaries for the ease of application and issuance of the digital certificates of Occupancy, C of O.

Earlier speaking, the Commissioner of Lands and Survey, Mohammed Jahun Biri said the stakeholders’ engagement forum became necessary in view of the sharp practices inherent in land administration in the State.

He commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for paying keen interest in correcting the anomaly that had overshadowed land administration in the State and therefore called on all relevant stakeholders and the people of the State to support the initiative for the benefit of human and societal development.

The Director-General of the Gombe Geographical Information System, GOGIS Dr Kabiru Usman in his opening remarks said proper land administration and management is essential in not only managing the growth of a city but equally serves as a source of revenue generation.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Inuwa for holistically taking concrete steps in addressing the challenges associated with land administration in the State.

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