Date: 2012-04-11

Kwara State office of the Surveyor-General has indicated its readiness to collaborate with local government officials responsible for land matters as part of efforts to add more value to land administration and management in the state.

This came up in a workshop which took place at the Conference Hall of the Surveyor-General's office, Ilorin, aimed at strengthening and empowering professionals such as engineers, town-planners, architects, utility providers, fire fighters and police, among others for effective planning, security and physical development.

Declaring the workshop open, the state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Olabode Olayemi, described the workshop as timely as it sought to address some fundamental defects in land administration and management in the state.

"Today's ceremony is unique for it represents another collaborative effort between the Kwara State Government and Local Governments to address the issue of land administration".

"This workshop, among others, aims to identify some fundamental defects in Land Administration and Management at the local government level, as identified at the Land and Housing 2009 Summit", he added.

The commissioner commended the office of the Surveyor-General for organizing a result-oriented workshop which, according to him, is intended to place land administration and management in its proper place at the local government level.

Olayemi therefore charged the local government council to designate 50 hectares of land in their respective areas as being directed by the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, for mass housing units.

"It is in anticipation of the housing programme which we intend to take to take to local governments rather than stay in the capital. We are going to have all units in all the local governments. That is the plan of the government", the Commissioner added.

Earlier in his welcome address, the State Surveyor-General, AlhajiLamidiOyebode disclosed that the workshop was organized by his office to address and eliminate all forms of shortcomings that could lead to confusions and litigations in Land Administration and Management in the state.

"The office of the Surveyor-General is therefore committed to organizing necessary workshops, seminars, and conferences that will bring all officials of the local government responsible for land matters together to understand the best way to administer and manage land", he said.

The Surveyor-General, who described land as central and key to human existence expressed optimism that the workshop would ensure peaceful co-existence among the populace as it targeted to drastically reduce conflicts and disputes , as disagreements usually emanate from land issues.

He added that it will further add more value to land administration, provide reliable land records and provide adequate land information on population of of a given area, among other advantages.

"In this year's budget, provisions have been made for surveying and mapping activities such as the completion of the on-going revision of state and local government maps, production of gazetteer of place names, establishment of survey control points, computerization of lands and survey activities, and procurement of modern survey equipment", Oyebode said.

According to him, the survey control points will speed up the processing of C of O applications and also reduce the cost of survey, which he said is an integral part of C of O processing.

Also speaking at the event, the state Director-General, Bureau of Lands, Mr. Tope Daramola, described the workshop as a step in the right direction.

The workshop, which was attended by participants from the 16 local governments, also had in attendance, the state Commissioner of Local Governments, Alhaji Isa Bawa, the Chairman of Ilorin South Local Government, Dr AbubakarIshola, the Chairman, State Local Government Service Commission, represented by AlhajiUsmanAbubakar Mora, among others.