The Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS) has processed no fewer than 1,000 out of the 3,500 backlog of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) applications inherited from the previous administration.
The Managing Director of EDOGIS, Dr. Innocent Bello, disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin during an interactive session with journalists.
Bello stated that the 1,000 processed applications have been forwarded to Governor Monday Okpebholo for approval after a comprehensive verification exercise. He explained that approvals were temporarily suspended after the agency discovered widespread irregularities, including forged documents, fake survey plans, and multiple claims to the same land.
According to him, more than half of the inherited applications had serious deficiencies that required further scrutiny before any approval could be granted. The exercise, he said, is aimed at restoring integrity to the state’s land administration system and ensuring that only genuine applicants receive Certificates of Occupancy.
Bello noted that EDOGIS has strengthened its workforce through training, the adoption of modern technology, and the deployment of a digital cadastral system designed to detect fraud and prevent revenue leakages.
He cautioned members of the public against dealing with unregistered agents and warned against encroachment on government land, stating that illegal structures would be removed. The Managing Director also urged landowners to pay their statutory charges promptly and assured that EDOGIS remains committed to transparency and the development of an investor-friendly land administration system.