By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowopejo
As part of a comprehensive vision to transform Lagos into the model mega-city in Africa, Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday declared open the second stakeholders’ forum on digital mapping, Geographic Information System (GIS) in the state.

Fashola, who led other members of the State Executive Council at the forum held at the state Secretariat Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, described GIS as a total life change that is capable of confronting the challenges of emerging planets.

As part of efforts to smoothen the process of land administration in Lagos State, the governor explained that the programme aimed at creating wealth by awakening dead assets through a series of initiatives to give an identity to every inch of real estate in Lagos.

His words: “The adoption of this programme will determine how efficiently we deliver water to your homes, how we deliver electricity to your house and how we can become more responsive to your needs. We exist because you (residents) are there.

“It is a total life change about the way we would live and the steps to be taken to confront the changing planets. A new international order is emerging; our responsibility is to seek knowledge to empower our children to courageously deal with the future.

“The power of Lagos State economy depends on how much land we are able to turn into prosperity. We are determined to create wealth through lands for the benefits of all our citizens,” he said.

In his address, Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat, said the adoption of digital surveying and mapping, when it is finally completed, would result in the establishment of Enterprise Geographic Information System capable of providing various developments across the state.

Hamzat said the use of GIS would revolutionalise the process of data acquisition, processing, storage, dissemination as well as for planning and decision making.

He added that the adoption will also enable the state government to put in place a state geo-information policy, establishment of Lagos Enterprise CIS database backed by a policy which will certainly eliminate most of the problems being experienced by Geo-Information producers and users in the state.

Hamzat who was supported by the contractor handling the project noted that the day’s presentation to stakeholders shows about 75 percent level of accomplishment across board on all the six components of the project.

He listed the components to include acquisition of digital aerial imageries and establishment of geodetic control, establishment of Geoids and Acute Global Positioning System (GPS) and Reference Station with Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS).

Others are Digital-Mapping, Digital Terrain Mode (DTM) and Ortho-photo Map, Enterprise GIS, Bathymetry and provision of ICT infrastructure.

Representing the contractor that is handling the programme, the world renowned development expert and President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy, Dr. Hernando De Soto made a slide presentation of the programme before the participants.

He urged the people of the state to support the programme as it will further stimulate the on going development in the state.