By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Edo State Government said it has, between February and April 17, 2025, registered over 9000 Certificates of Occupancy in the State.

The Managing Director of Edo State Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS), Dr. Tony Ikpasaja disclosed this when the executive members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its Chairman, Patrick Ochoga paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Benin City.

According to Ikpasaja, the feat was achieved despite the challenges of shutting down the agency’s system by the consultant employed by the immediate past Government of Godwin Obaseki to run its operations.

The new EdoGIS boss, who was appointed by Governor Okpebholo in January 2025, said the feat was achieved within the period with the new software as against 1000 recorded by the immediate past government of Godwin Obaseki between 2023 and February 2025.

He disclosed that the agency has recently purchased more sophisticated equipment to improve its productivity and to ensure that applicants’ applications are attended to as quickly as possible.

He also disclosed that the agency under his leadership inherited Over 7500 files that were not attended to.

Ikpasaja, who assured applicants that their files for Certificates of Occupancy would be treated and captured into the database, advised property and land owners to legalize their property.

“As of today, I can boldly tell you that we have captured and processed over 9000 files of certificate of Occupancy. We have also been signing and issuing Certificates of Occupancy.

“Over 9000 C of Os have been registered from February 2025 to date with the new software against 1000 registered from 2023 to February 2025.

“When I came on board I met about 7500 total files of applicants that were not attended to. It is disheartening that people will pay for registration just to leave the files there unattended.

“Within the next few weeks or months, we will clear the applications we have, and we will give Nigerians and Edo people their Certificates of Occupancy.

“I also want to assure those that have applied that as far as their certificate is here and being processed, your land is secure because, by our system, nobody can come and process that particular land again.

“The kind of restructuring we did was a total departure from what it used to be before or met on the ground because the staff are operating on international best practices.

“What we have now today does not give you room to keep files because we are working accordingly to the World Bank standards which is the international best practices”, he said

He added that to ensure that all landed property owners are carried along in the administration of land in the state, the agency has opened offices in Auchi and Ekpoma.