Ado-Ekiti: Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State on Wednesday launched a ground-breaking 3D drone aerial mapping of the state to enhance land administration and boost investment.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the ceremony was held at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport in Ado-Ekiti. Oyebanji, while speaking at the ceremony, said the mapping was also to establish a comprehensive geospatial database to support developmental projects in the state. He emphasized that the exercise was designed to implement a comprehensive land administration solution that would enhance government's planning capacity and improve service delivery to residents.
Oyebanji explained that the exercise will streamline land management, promote transparency, ensure security of property ownership, enhance urban planning, and position the state as a hub for investors. He highlighted that the aerial mapping would put an end to the persistent issues of fraudulent land transactions, curb the menace of land grabbing, and provide accurate land records. Furthermore, he added that it would eliminate loopholes that have been exploited for land grabbing and other irregularities, thereby making the state more attractive for both local and foreign investors.
Expressing optimism about the transformative potential of the exercise for the state's economy, Oyebanji stated, "By the time we finish what we are doing, it is going to open the window for investment into Ekiti State. The era of people selling one land to ten people will stop; the era of land grabbing will also stop."
Earlier in his remarks, Prof. James Olaleye, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands, Survey and e-GIS, said the exercise was the beginning of the modernisation of the land administration system in the state through the use of cutting-edge geospatial technologies. He noted that the exercise would improve land administration, infrastructure planning and management, secure land tenures, and boost internally generated revenue. Olaleye explained that the aerial photographic mission would fly at low altitude to capture every inch of the state's landmass, and the project is expected to touch every nook and cranny of the state, lasting for one month.
The contractor handling the project, Olajugba Oluropo, commended the state government's forward-thinking approach in setting a new standard for land administration in the state. Oluropo, who took the governor and state officials through a displayed mapping board as well as the aircraft's facilities, assured them of timely delivery. The mapping exercise commenced shortly after the ceremony.