The Benue state government has began the enumeration of building properties across the state, particularly major towns in the state in order to access the World Bank grant of $2.5 million for social amenities.
Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Dr. Benard Unenge, said the grant will be based on the data collected by the Benue Georgraphical Information Service (BENGIS) and states’ Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability Programme (SFTAS), a World Bank Assisted Property Enumeration Project.
Speaking while unveiling the Benue Geographic Information Service (BENGIS), sensitisation exercise Thursday in Otukpo the commissioner however said the grant would be accessed only if between 84, 000 to 120,000 urban buildings are captured in the state.
He added that the state is doing well as already, 90,000 building properties have been enumerated in Makurdi, while Gboko and Otukpo will take 15,000 properties each.
BENGIS State Project Manager, Mario Bajouk, who spoke on the development benefits of BENGIS explained that the essence of BENGIS was to capture and digitise land processing to eliminate sharp practices in land administration and to improve revenue generation of the state.
Bajouk said it would also enhance productivity, secure the land, fast- track processing of titles, facilitate planning, identify solid minerals and solve the problem of land dispute.
