The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN,CON, has unveiled the Business Process Automation of Certificate of Occupancy (e.C of O) for Federal Lands.
The event took place at the Ministry’s Conference room, Mabushi, Abuja.
Fashola, in his keynote address, said that the initiative was another layer and level of technological advancement in the country and urged the ministry to sustain and maintain it to the expected next level.
He explained that manual processing of application for and signing of C.of.O which used to be cumbersome and time – consuming would stop with the introduction of this digital platform, there by ending the era of carrying several bags of files of C of O for manual endorsement at home even on weekends.
“Our digital platform is meant to make life better, the thing that used to take three months will now be available in 24 hours. I, as the head of the Ministry, will stop carrying Ghana most go filled with C of Os from Abuja to Lagos or my house, I can now sign many of them on the system within some hours. I think that’s where Nigeria as the biggest black Nation should be.” He remarked.
The Minister also revealed that about 2,276 files have been digitalized.
In his remarks, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Folorunso Esan, said that the project was awarded on February 17, 2022 and commended the Ministry for the successful implementation of the initiative.
He confirmed that the project will boost public consumption and also enable easy payments.
The Head of Department and Director, Lands & Housing Development, Mr. Felix Appah, said that the process will enthrone transparency in the activities of land certification and ownership which will greatly serve as legal collateral to such land owners in accessing loans.
Accordingly, Mr Appah listed its benefits to government as; improving efficiency in registration, prevents the issuance of counterfeit C of O, increase revenue to government, having a central digital repository for all document, reduce process time for C.of.O applications, digital archiving with index, Reduce storage and printing costs amongst others.
In addition, Nigeria, implementing an electronic land titling is in line with international best practices in land administration
Highlight of the event was presentation of C.of.O to some of recipients.
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