By Dauda R PamMaiduguri
Borno State Geographic Information system,BOGIS,has generated about N200m as ground rents,since it’s inception from March to September 2020 just as its optimistic of achieving the N1BILLION target before the end of the year.
This was disclosed by the executive secretary,BORNO GEOGRAPHIC information system,Engr.Adam Bababe,while briefing the media on activities of the organization, Friday,in MAIDUGURI.
He said BOGIS was able to achieve the feat of saving about N200m through blocking of leakages inherent in the ministry of lands and survey, in which he alleged,staff collaborated with outsiders to defraud the ministry prior to the inauguration of the agency.
Attributing the success story to the digitalisation of land records and electronic payment of ground rents thereby curtailing the activities of land racketeers and corruption on land matters in the state.
In another development,the Executive Secretary,Engr Adam Bababe, hinted that government has earmarked 1,300 units of houses for demolition in
Maiduguri and Jere metropolitan councils, particularly, houses built on waterways and river banks.
According to him, since the commencement of rainy season in June this
year, life threatening dangers have presented itself in some parts of the metropolis following the submergence of waterways and river banks by flood.
Adding that,the current flooding situation in the state capital calls for urgent attention to protect lives and
property.
He explained that,already bulldozers and other equipment are
being deployed to demolish all illegal houses and structures to pave the right of way for the water to flow freely.
Explaining further on the upcoming demolition exercise in the state capital, he said.
“We’ve
to clear the air on the demolition exercise as it affects certain churches built on waterways and river banks, which
have been given some religious colourations in some quarters,adding that even
mosques built on waterways are equally affected as have equally been marked for the demolition exercise”.
Debunking the insinuations,he said, the
agency has since engaged the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria,CAN,for fruitful discussions, stressing that,”there is nothing like witch-hunting or religious sentiments associated with the BOGIS demolition exercise”.
And confirmed that, the religious leaders exhibited sufficient understanding on the demolition of some churches built either on waterways or river banks.
“Our actions of demolition exercise, were to protect houses from being
submerged by floods,” warning that the flood plains and river banks
cover no less than 35 per cent landed areas of the state capital comprising of MAIDUGURI and Jere metropolitan councils.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the people to stop building on river banks and flood plains as they are prone to flood and not suitable for construction of houses.
“The people who acquired illegal structures and built on them should know that the consequences is demolition without compensation,” he warned.
