The Governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu has announced the full digitalization and fast-tracking of the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) issuance process.
The Governor stated that the move became important as it would remove bureaucratic bottlenecks that have long plagued property owners and investors in the State, while improving the ease of doing business and land administration.
Governor Otu made this known during a courtesy and presentation visit by the Cross River State Land Cluster.
“Getting a Certificate of Occupancy used to take years, frustrating many landlords and business owners. Now, we are changing that. With this new digital system, we can deliver certificates faster, cleaner, and more efficiently,” the Governor said.
The initiative, championed by the Cross River State Land Cluster with the support of Nugi Technologies Nigeria Ltd, marks a significant shift from analogue to fully digital processing, enabling transparency and faster delivery times.
The Director-General of the Cross River State Geographical information Agency, Williams Archibong, praised the Governor for creating a conducive environment to deliver on this promise.
According to him, “With the new system, C-of-O for government land will now be issued within 21 days, and within 42 days for private land. This is a major departure from the past administrations where analogue systems led to delays and frequent errors. Now, everything is digitized and streamlined.”
The Commissioner for Lands, Dr. Francis Ekpenyong described the issuance of C-of-Os as a long-overdue liberation for the people of Cross River who had been marginalized by banks and financial institutions due to the absence of proper land documentation.
“This exercise is unlocking Cross River people who were locked out of the economy. With these certificates, property owners can now stand tall before any financial institution.”
The Surveyor General of the State, Surveyor Patrick Bassey, who hailed the digital transformation, pointed out the new security features like QR codes that make each C-of-O verifiable and tamper-proof, urging citizens to take advantage of the new system.
Part of the activities to mark the unveiling of the digitized C-of-O was the presentation of the items by Governor Otu to some landlords and business owners.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Professor Victor Ansa of the University of Calabar said he applied many years back, and “it felt almost impossible to get a C-of-O. But this administration has changed that narrative. It’s a new dawn for Cross River. This reform sends a strong message that the state is open and ready for business.”
With the new system in place, the Governor Otu-led administration is taking a bold step to create a more investor-friendly environment and ensure that property ownership processes are faster, more secure, and fully transparent.
Source: Praise Mba
