Cross River commits to world class geographic information system

William Archibong, director general, Cross River Geographic Information Agency, has reaffirmed his agency’s commitment to achieving significant progress in 2025.

Speaking to the media in his Calabar office, Archibong outlined his plans for the year, emphasizing the agency’s goal of establishing a world-class Geographic Information System (GIS) with exceptional service delivery.

At the heart of the vision is the concept of “building, operating, and maintaining” a geographic system for the state, which Archibong believes will be made possible through the support of Bassey Edet Out, governor of Cross River State.

“To achieve this, we are strengthening our software solutions, renewing expired licenses, and undergoing a total overhaul,” he said.

Archibong highlighted the agency’s use of modern technology to administer land, ensuring a transparent and smooth process. For data protection, the agency has maximized the use of physical servers, cloud-based servers, and external hard drives.

“Additionally, the agency is building its archives through indexing and scanning and digitizing existing land records in its archives with a view to providing a detailed and efficient land cadastre for the state.

“A key aspect of the agency’s plans is the prompt issuance of Certificates of Occupancy, with a target of providing these within 21 days,” Archibong said.

He emphasised the importance of partnerships, collaborations, and investments in ICT infrastructure and staff training to achieve efficient service delivery.

He noted that the agency’s GIS is expected to be versatile and reliable, supporting various sectors of the state’s economy, and that a functional world-class GIS with outstanding service delivery, is the agency’s ultimate goal for 2025.

“To achieve this vision, the agency will focus on enhancing its technical capabilities, improving data management, and ensuring the reliability of its systems. By doing so, the agency aims to provide exceptional service delivery and support the State’s economic growth,” he added.