JEREMIAH FELIX, YENAGOA

The establishment of Bayelsa State Geographic Information System (BGIS) has been described as very timely.

Surv. Odubo Ebifuro

The Managing Director, Surv. Odubo Ebifuro BGIS stated this to journalists recently in his new office complex in Yenagoa.

The Managing Director of Bayelsa State Geographic Information System highlighted the historical background of the new Agency, Mr. Ebifuro, while interacting with newsmen  said the Geographical Information System (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data. Which has been established in Bayelsa State by the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, while appreciating the Governor for the bold initiative of establishing this crucial agency, Ebifuro explained the benefit of establishing this great agency.

He further stated that, after the creation of  Bayelsa state  several years ago, there were several challenges of citing infrastructural projects like the Tombia Dumb site which is wrongly placed that can cause epidemic and the Agency is basically established to issue C of O, getting C of O was very cumbersome which prompted Governor Dickson to establishing this agency to make landlords easier set C of O and if the need be can mortgaged for loans after survey plan has been made, it is
an avenue for landlords to fight poverty.

The Managing Director further said ,getting C of O will be very easy, payment can be made in banks, forms can be up loaded and process through your smart phone or laptop and in the shortest position time you get your approved C of O.

The BGIS also goes beyond issuing C of O, it manages the infrastructural development of Bayelsa state, it is institutional building mechanism, and it is emerging technology, very timely in establishment in Bayelsa state, like Lagos, Abuja, which has been in a existence for quite some time now, but in Bayelsa State  “we will train staff and Bayelsans within and outside the country to acquired the needed knowledge, the agency will monitor infrastructural development, guide developers but in private and government institutions such as road constructions, citing industrial layouts, among others.”

For drainage maintenance and construction, Ebifuro said drainage system has been a great challenge, especially during the rainy season, saying “if you open up one drainage, you cause flooding in other parts, flood is a perpetual problem,” and appreciated  the government in setting up committee to clear drainages as a palliative measures.

He promised to acquire data needed  to submit to government for appropriate action once and for all in reducing flood mishaps, also tasking landlords, and developers to be very mindfully while building structures.

On the Agency conflicting with capital city development authority, Managing Director stressed that the functions of the BGIS are so clear, there would be no conflicting issues in functionality, it would be a synergy for the development of infrastructures.

Ebifuro advised Bayelsans to support Governor Henry Seriake Dickson’s
Restoration Government, especially on his developmental blueprints.