BENGIS: We have achieved international best practice in land administration —Ortom

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has said that his administration has achieved international best practice in land administration with the state- of-the-art office complex of Benue State Geographic Information Service Centre (BENGIS) project.

Ortom stated this on Monday during the inauguration of the office complex of BENGIS project in Makurdi, the state capital.

The project was inaugurated by his Rivers State counterpart, Mr Nyesom Wike.

The BENGIS edifice, which is located on the premises of the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, is a major component of Ortom’s N6.5 billion land digitisation project that is fully completed, furnished and equipped with high-tech state-of-the-art facilities.

Other components of the project also completed, are aerial survey and mapping of the entire state with high resolution orthophotos, conversion of analog map plans and files to the digital system, staff training and procurement of survey as well as other technical equipment and field vehicles for the ministry.

BENGIS is a system of land administration in which Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is deployed through digital platforms and software for seamless management of land administration. This processing of C of Os, systematic and efficient land recertification, regularisation and registration of titles, warehousing of land documents in soft copies and hard copies, automated and transparent system of revenue generation which eliminates leakages.

Ortom said that the inauguration of the edifice marks a milestone in the history of his administration in the state.

He said that he was optimistic that the project will attract the World Bank’s grant of $2.5 million through the State’s Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme to be applied for developmental projects in the state.

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The governor urged stakeholders in the lands, survey and solid minerals sectors to support the project in order to add value to the industry. He also called on the ministry to maintain the facilities and ensure that the building and the installed equipment are given proper protection.

Also, a representative of the Consultant firm, GIS Transport Limited, described the building as a symbol for a mindset, drive and culture, adding that the staff members were trained, public outreach initiated and technology provided according to target set by the World Bank in number and in quality.

Earlier , the state’s Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Mr Bernard Unenge, had said with BENGIS, the process of transfer of land ownership has also been streamlined for greater efficiency that has drastically reduced incidences of land disputes.