From Tongnaan Bawa Jos
The Plateau State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning says it has recorded significant improvements in land administration, revenue generation, and service delivery through a series of reforms introduced by the Governor Caleb Mutfwang administration.
Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Barr. Peter Nyan Gai, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Jos, where he highlighted the ministry’s achievements and ongoing challenges.
According to the commissioner, the ministry inherited numerous challenges, including inadequate working tools, a stagnated Geographic Information System (GIS) platform, poor office accommodation, revenue leakages, slow service delivery, weak customer service structures, and low staff motivation.
Barr. Gai said the ministry responded by embarking on major reforms, particularly in land administration, where workflow processes for obtaining Rights of Occupancy and Certificates of Occupancy were reduced from 46 stages to 25 stages through digitization and process re-engineering.
“We gradually eliminated manual processes through digitization and reduced workflow stages from 46 to 25 for processing Rights of Occupancy and Certificates of Occupancy to improve efficiency and service delivery,” he said.
The commissioner further disclosed that the ministry introduced electronic signatures for Certificates of Occupancy, established a centralized dispatch system, enhanced document security features, appointed additional deed registrars, and acquired land for both state and federal industrial development projects.
He noted that the Survey Department strengthened compliance with professional standards, collaborated with licensed surveyors to restore survey control signals, developed in-house software solutions, and acquired modern software licenses and computer systems to improve operations.
In the area of town planning, Barr. Gai said the ministry adopted digital mapping and aerial imagery for site inspections, strengthened development control measures, and participated in the preparation of the Greater Jos Master Plan as well as master plans for Riyom, Mangu, and Heipang urban centres.
The commissioner also highlighted improvements in staff welfare and infrastructure, including office renovations, professional training programmes, wellness initiatives, transportation support, procurement of operational vehicles and motorcycles, and the construction of a modern boardroom.
On revenue generation, he said automation, stronger accountability mechanisms, and improved monitoring systems helped block leakages and significantly increase the ministry’s internally generated revenue.
“The Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning has recorded significant progress through transformational leadership, institutional reforms, staff development and technological innovation,” Barr. Gai stated. “These efforts have enhanced efficiency, improved service delivery, strengthened revenue generation, and positioned the ministry as a key driver of sustainable development in Plateau State.”
Despite the gains, he identified a shortage of professional staff, obsolete equipment, inadequate operational funding, insufficient energy backup systems, and the need for a complete upgrade of the GIS platform as major challenges requiring urgent attention.