3rd from Left, Mr. Umo Eno, Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Frank Ekpenyong, Technical Lead of Kyle Christian Nigeria Limited, AVM Monday Morgan, former Director of Defence Intelligence, with media executives in Akwa Ibom State during the launch of AKWAGIS.
By Abasifreke Effiong
The Akwa Ibom state government has launched a state-wide property enumeration platform that will ensure registration of all landed property in the State.
The digital platform codenamed AKWAGIS, (Akwa Ibom State Geographic Information System) was launched in Uyo on Friday, 15th October, at a live town hall meeting with media executives.
The aim of the exercise is to create a digital bank for all landed property in the State to help the government know the number of buildings, their owners, use, distribution within an area and residents per building.
The project consultant, Kyle Christian Nigeria Limited, said AKWAGIS seeks to develop data on land and buildings in the state.
It exercise will fast-track government’s quest to automate the process of issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
READ : Lawmaker frowns at Nigeria’s projected debt servicing obligation for 2022
Technical Lead of Kyle Christian Nigeria Limited, Mr. Frank Ekpenyong, said the project will also undertake property enumeration.
“The government is desirous to have all property on the data bank satellite. We have been able to digitize all the buildings in Akwa Ibom state; what we do not have is, who owns the buildings and what the property is used for. The government wants to know the number of buildings in the state and what they are used for.”
Mr. Ekpenyong who is an ICT expert and consultant to the Nigerian Defence Intelligence Agency, said his organisation has employed 100 enumerators who will go round the state to obtain on-the-ground data from property owners.
“We have enumerators who will go round the state to obtain data of property owners. They are expected to obtain the name of property owners, what the building is used for, how many people are living in the building, and will take photograph of the building.”
He assured that data of property owners collected would be well secured.
Mr. Ekpenyong added that low ground aircraft would be deployed to take aerial images of the stateate from next week, stressing that the enumeration exercise is free.
A former Chief of Defence Intelligence, AVM Monday Morgan Rtd., who was chairman on the occasion, lauded the state government for the initiative.
“Property protection is one of the responsibilities of government, the Ministry of Land and Water resources has taken the right steps. Governor Udom Emmanuel is trying to civilize property in Akwa Ibom State”, Morgan said.
READ ALSO : Akwa Ibom government speaks on purported remapping of the State
The Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Mr. Umo Eno, said the exercise will consolidate government records on property ownership in the state, check land theft, forgery and unauthorised sales of property.
“This is the first attempt to get property data in the state and digitize land ownership. It will help government know the total asset-base of the state. It will help to store and retrieve property information electronically.”
Mr. Eno appealed to all property owners in the state to key into the exercise, lauded Governor Udom Emmanuel for approving the project.
“This project is one of the things that generations of the future would be glad of. This project will be one of the best achievements of the Udom Emmanuel administration”, the Commissioner said.
Addressing concerns on the project raised by journalists, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Linus Nkan, said the aim of the exercise is not to reintroduce the controversial property charge Bill.
“I want to say authoritatively, there is no intention to reintroduce property tax. AKWAGIS is one of the ways to enable Akwa Ibom to have access to title documents for property. It will accelerate the economy of the State. This project is not meant for tax purposes”, the Finance Commissioner emphasised.
