Jigawa State plans to make use of GIS technology to migrate from its traditional land administration procedure to information communication technology to improve its property registration system. All this has been made possible through leveraging of its World Bank-backed State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) program.
The SFTAS program is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning. It was put in place to increase fiscal transparency and accountability, strengthen domestic revenue mobilization, strengthen efficiency in public expenditure and ensure sustainable debt management at the sub-national level.
And States reaching Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) gain grants provided by the federal government.
Hon. Sagir Ahmed, the Jigawa State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Urban Development, and Regional Planning, spoke during a media assessment tour in his office in Dutse. Stated the need for the implementation of SFTAS processes in the state.
Which would improve the generation of revenue in the state, especially via property taxation.
He also said during the start of the program in 2020, Governor Abubakar Muhammed Badaru showed huge political will to make it a success.
Ahmed said the governor appointed a 13-member committee which includes seven commissioners and the Deputy Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, as the chairman of the property registration program.
And ever since his ministry has shown participation with the coordinating office in the World Bank.
The commissioner said; “They have guided the ministry since the inception of the project to get to a level where it is about to do validation for the data that we have generated, and we keyed into this project with expectation because the World Bank has stated what we need to do in terms of property registration – to open about 20,000 parcels of buildings across the state.
“In our wisdom, we looked at the urban centers we have in the state, and we have worked closely with our different zonal offices across the state to implement the project.
“Without wasting much of your time, we would like to use this opportunity to tell you that we have been able to record much success in that direction and that has really come at a time when we needed the project.
“It came at a time when the state government is trying to migrate from the traditional land administration to one that imbibes ICT, particularly embracing the Geographic Information System in our activities as a state.”
He also said, property registration had enabled his ministry to prepare adequately for launching the Jigawa State Geographic Information System, ever since its engagement with SFTAS. Adding that the governor has already approved the procurement of all the equipment and facilities required to launch the GIS.
As Jigawa State plans to make use of GIS technology, he also said,“We have already engaged consultants and they have really been working with this ministry to see that we conduct the use of GIS in our operation.
“One thing we did — we tried to look at the GIS in phases and come up with a way we can have quick wins in order to be able to compete favorably among other states that have deployed GIS.
“As SFTAS is concerned with property registration, Jigawa State is among the eight states that have really been able to complete all the work that is expected of it,” Ahmed stated.
