...says administration has signed over 40,000 CofOs
Violet Osatohanmwen Obamwonyi
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, while affirming land as a valuable asset, has reiterated the primary duty of government in protecting lives and property.
Emphasizing the importance of proper land use management and building practices, Obaseki highlighted the need for adequate planning, mapping and information sharing, regarding land resources in the state.
He made the remarks on Thursday October 31, 2024, while commissioning the Edo State Built Environment Hub, located at Sapele Road in Benin City, a facility that houses all government agencies pertaining to land administration and the built environment sector, including the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development, Edo State Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS), Ministry of Roads and Bridges, and the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency.
The Governor noted that the land administration and building practices inherited from his predecessor were predicated on absurd and haphazard management system, stating that there was neither certainty nor security of land, a practice which had impeded the development of the State, prompting his administration to overhaul and reform the entire system.
According to Obaseki, “Edo is rich in land resources. It was apparent that the greatest value we have as a people is our location. This fact puts a premium on land in Edo, but there was no way we could maximize the value of our land and location, if the State was not organized. We realized that if we do not map our land, if information was not available, it is as good as having dead asset.
“Prior to now, we observed setbacks in our building practices. By the time I became Governor, it was another story. Someone can own a land today and tomorrow it is gone; somebody else has collected it. Even the process of developing our houses was faulty too. We had people posing as community thugs, coming to harass residents on sites.
“So, it became clear that one of the first things that we had to do was to start a process of getting information on our land resources. January 2017, we contracted a company carrying out Geographic Information Service (GIS) to help us source information about our land, and that was how GIS started.
“The story is different now. You buy land in Edo today and you know the land is yours, because you can register it and get a title. Anybody who goes to buy that land without going to check is doing so at their own risk and probably going to jail because of the Land Administration Laws we have enacted.
Obaseki added: “The Built Environment Hub is a result of very deliberate and sustained planning and hard work over the years. The transformation you see in our state is because of the planning we have put in place. The idea of having a hub is to make land use, administration and building processes cheaper, better and more efficient, because all related government services concerning building are now together in one location.
“The Hub has high speed internet connection, 24/7 electricity power supply, our offices are comfortable, and as such, our workers now like to spend more time at work than at home.”
The Governor thereafter, named the GIS building after Nigeria’s first Surveyor-General of the Federation, late Surveyor Daniel Omoigui, in recognition of his contribution to the physical planning of the State, while expressing appreciation to all professionals and stakeholders.
“As part of the commissioning of this Hub, we are now formally naming the GIS building as the Surveyor Daniel Omogui Building, in honor of his contribution to the creation and boundary adjustments for Edo State. May the labor of our heroes past never be in vain,” Obaseki said.
Addressing the issue of sustainability, Obaseki acknowledged the challenges of implementing transformative projects, particularly in Africa, noting that longstanding issues relating to improper building practices and land administration often pose problems. He however expressed optimism that the favorable acceptance of the reforms by the public will drive continued support for sustainable land management practices, going forward.
He stated: “Before I became Governor, the total number of Certificate of Occupancies (CofOs) that were issued since Edo State was created till 2016, was about 2,000. In three years, we have signed and created more than 40,000 CofOs.
“A lot of people may not like it, some people may be unhappy, but I believe that at the end of the day, majority of us would see the good in the changes that we have started and would insist that these reforms continue. I know that a lot of you are concerned, I feel it and feel you, but note that the reforms we have started are so fundamental; you cannot throw them away.”
