THE PRESIDENTIAL LAND REFORM COMMITTEE

SURCON QUESTION: THE PRESIDENTIAL LAND REFORM COMMITTEE IS A BLESSING TO SURVEYORS

The presidential Law Reform Committee was set up by government with a mandate to carry out land cadastral mapping of the entire country in such a way that every land ownership holding can be clearly demarcated. As soon as it was inaugurated, the committee realized the enormous tasks in its hands. The mandate places on the committee the much-awaited mapping of the entire country.The committee’s mandate can therefore be summarized as surveying and mapping of the entire country in a scale as large as 1:1000. This is undoubtedly a big blessing to surveyors.

In order to successfully carry out its mandate, the committee admitted that it would need to adopt modern surveying and mapping techniques with the use of satellite imageries, digital mapping procedures and Geographic Information System (GIS). The committee also confessed that technical expertise of surveyors cannot be over emphasized in getting the job done; that surveyors shall be fully needed to capture, process, analyze and present geospatial data to produce maps and map products. Alarmed by the number of surveying experts, the amount of man-hour, and the amount of money it would take to map the entire country, admitted the indispensable role surveyors play in geo-data management and earth mapping.

The land reform committee represents government’s first positive response to the cry of surveyors that the country needed to be mapped for sustainable development. The committee represents the first phase in the much-awaited project of mapping the entire country. For many years, advocacies had gone to government to invest in mapping the entire country. Surveying and mapping had been relegated to the background since the military took over the rulership of the country. Hence, public structures and infrastructures have collapsed because they have no mapping basis that can sustain them. Consequently, the surveying profession became a second-class profession in the eyes of the military who should know better. However, things began to change for the better when the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

The first blessing came on the profession when the democratic government listened to the voice of reason and resuscitated the Federal Surveys Department. It was turned into an extra ministerial department and renamed Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF).

Another blessing landed on the surveying profession when the next administration took over in 2007 and the land reform committee was inaugurated. If the mandate of the committee is anything to go by, it means that soon the country will be digitally mapped. This would make available for the country digital maps and digital map products such as topographic maps at various scales, orthophoto mosaic and Digital Terrain Models. These products will be available off-the-shelf and in formats acceptable to various users.

Moreover, digital mapping of the entire country will provide a basis for the implementation of Land Information System (LIS) and development of multi-purpose cadastre. These computer-based systems make the traditional works of surveyors easier while it opens up new and challenging business opportunities for land and land-related professionals. Thus, surveyors can take their legitimate place in modern technology-driven areas of space exploration, people and property location, location-based services, navigation, communication and resource management.

In conclusion, surveying and mapping are in the jurisdiction of surveyors. The Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) is the coordinator and supervisor of all survey projects in the country. Having admitted its need for surveying technical expertise in order to successfully carry out its mandate, the committee will eventually depend on surveyors to do the job and OSGOF to supervise. Therefore, the surveyors’ much-desired project of mapping the entire country shall be carried out by Nigerian surveyors through the instrumentality of the committee. The Presidential Land Reform Committee is therefore a big blessing to surveyors in Nigeria.

DISCLAIMER: This material is only an attempt to answer an examination question, though written from a background of solid knowledge and practical experience in Surveying and Geoinformatics. It has not gone through peer review. Therefore, all views and opinions expressed therein remain the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent that of any institution.  Feedback on corrections and constructive criticisms are welcome. Thank you.