By Ali Abare
Governor Abdullahi Sule said his administration repositioned the Nasarawa Geographic Information Services (NAGIS), in order to empower people of the state economically.
Governor Sule stated this during the re-opening of the Lafia NAGIS head office and inauguration of NAGIS 2024 customer service week on Tuesday.
According to him, in line with global trend, NAGIS issues Certifate of Occupancy, which is a banksbke document that owners of landed property could utilize to access funds for setting up businesses from banks.
“The whole idea about this is that we can issue you with a document for that building you have. That document is as good as cash for you going to the bank. I’m not saying that you take money and spend it anyhow. The reasons why we keep giving these CofOs is so that we can empower our people economically,” he said.
He decried a situation where owners of landed property especially buildings in Lafia and even Abuja, go about begging for assistance when they can make use of their CofOs to access funds in the banks.
“I have one building, for instance, here that I know is not going to be risky for me to go to the bank and be able to place that CofO and obtain money that I can run a business that I can make money from that business.
“That is the idea about NAGIS. That is what I love about NAGIS, and that is what we are doing about NAGIS,” he stated.
The Governor said banks are there to provide financial services, not just places for people to deposit and withdraw salaries at the end of the month.
He urged the people to utilize the relative peace in the state that is attracting investors to the state mostly because they believe their investments are safe.
“Today, Nasarawa is relatively safe that people are coming in for agriculture. Most investors say that in Nasarawa their investment is safe. In Nasarawa there is peace. Yes, there are kidnappings here and there but at least there is peace in Nasarawa for them to come and invest and do their businesses,” he added.
While appreciating his immediate predecessor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura for initiating the idea behind the establishment of NAGIS, alongside his team including the Emir of Nasarawa, Director General of NAGIS, Sonny Agasi and Siraj Consulting Engineers, Governor Sule said his administration found it necessary to sustain and build on the idea for the development of the state.
“The initiative to continue from there, only someone who doesn’t understand what is happening will even get rid of NAGIS. The most important thing is to sustain it and build on it for the development of Nasarawa State. That is exactly what we did. If other states are coming to copy from us, then definitely that is not a project for you to abandon. It’s a project to build upon,” he said.
He pointed out that NAGIS has a significant role to play in the development of the state, especially against the backdrop of global trends.
The Governor disclosed that so far, his administration has expended N2, 222, 754, 884 (Over N2bn) as part of its commitment towards cutting cost as well as creating ways of generating revenue.
He added that from 2019 to date, his administration has generated N5, 771, 392, 238. 3to from NAGIS alone.
“I think in the last 9 months, NAGIS has already gone beyond the one billion naira mark for this year. We are already expecting and pushing so that we should be making anywhere between N1.2 to N1.5bn this year. If we continue in that direction, that is already, from what we met on the ground, over 20 percent of the revenue that was being generated when we came in.
“Today, with everything that NAGIS is doing and generating, we are still generating somewhere, this N5bn we are talking about, less than 25 percent of what we are generating in the whole state. If we go into these other areas and we are generating revenue, Nasarawa can easily generate not less than N2.5bn to N3bn every month,” he said.
Speaking on the fire incidence at the head office of NAGIS in Lafia, Governor Sule said his administration has taken steps to ensure that available data at the agency remain safe.
“That is why I said we must have another backup and that backup must be in Government House. And then we have another backup in iCloud. It’s impossible for us to have fire in all these places and iCloud. For that reason, I said let’s go and do that. It doesn’t matter how much it’s going to cost us. It’s for Nasarawa and the future of the state,” he added.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Director General of NAGIS, Sonny Agasi, recalled the fire incidence that occurred on July 22, 2024, as the worst in the 12-year history of the agency.
Agasi said the fire incidence damaged substantial part of the electrical, ICT and physical infrastructure of the facility.
The NAGIS DG added that it tool the unwavering commitment of Governor Sule who promptly directed that all necessary steps be taken to ensure quick resumption of operations.
“The magnitude of the damage is really monumental. The fire affected the entire electrical and ICT systems. We have had cause to virtually replace all devices and accessories which include electrical conduit pipe, smoke detection systems amongst others.
“Owing to the damage, a complete replacement of our ICT equipment was needed. We had to reestablish all our existing network equipment and servers, where even a more robust system was created via MTN cambridge, outdoor microwave and antennas amongst others,” he said.
Agasi added that the event also marked the annual NAGIS customer service week 2024, where the agency celebrate their customers and general public for their continued patronage.
In his remarks as the guest of honour, immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura made a special commendation in honour of Governor Sule for believing in NAGIS and for allowing the agency to continue to operate.
Al-makura, who was represented at the event by the immediate past national president of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Aminu Muazu Maifata, further appreciated the Governor for doing well and for providing everything for NAGIS to be where they are today.