AKWAGIS: State Govt receives aerial mapping crew, survey aircraft
In line with its commitment to ensuring easy access to land information in the State, the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Water resources has today received the aerial mapping crew and Liebherr survey aircraft for the State’s Geographic Information System (AKWAGIS).
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the official reception of the crew and the survey aircraft, the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno noted that the crew will be working with the consultant for the AkwaGIS project using the survey aircraft.
He noted that the people of the State have thus far given laudable cooperation for the project and solicited more support especially as the survey aircraft will be used across the State for aerial photo mapping.
Pastor Umo Eno who is an ardent supporter of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Completion Agenda said the idea of aerial mapping is to ensure that international best practices are brought into play in the areas of lands acquisition and general land management.
Speaking on the benefit of the exercise, the Commissioner said when completed and implemented, the land transaction processes will be better, as it will help in making work faster in terms of searches, approvals, and other related matters.
He said the use of survey aircraft is like using a drone in order to give a higher resolution, and to capture everything from the sky, stressing that the whole world is technologically driven and the State cannot afford to be left behind.
Pastor Umo Eno said the Governor feels great about the AkwaGIS project which according to him is the Governor’s brainchild, adding that as part of his completion agenda, the Governor will deliver to Akwa Ibom, a digitalized land management system.
Also speaking, the consultant for the AkwaGIS project, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong of Kyle Christian Nigeria Limited said the aerial mapping is one aspect of the job and assured Akwa Ibom people of his readiness and commitment to deliver on the project on time.
According to him, “this is one aspect of the job which is flying the aircraft around the entire State to have a very accurate digital map of the State, to support its land management.”
Dr Ekpenyong said everything is in place to commence the exercise, stressing that every local government in the State will be duly captured.
In the team of the Honourable Commissioner for the official reception were; the State Surveyor General – Mrs Emem Isang, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Water Resources – TPL Aniekan Akpan, SSA to the Governor on Project Monitoring – Hon. Otobong Edemidiong, and Directors in the Ministry.
