Niger State Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) has donated licensed software and Geographic Information System (GIS) equipment for the establishment of the State Geographic Information System (NIGIS) Laboratory.
The equipment worth over N90 million was procured and presented to NIGIS through the Ministry of Lands and Survey as part of the State Government of tackling land degradation, erosion desertification among other environmental-related challenges.
While receiving the equipment, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr. Maurice Magaji described the gesture as timely adding that the kind gesture will go a long way in driving the New Niger agenda of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago-led administration especially as it concerns land matters.
Barr. Magaji expressed optimism that the items will help the State Government’s effort to check land degradation, erosion, and desertification among other environmental-related challenges especially now that Governor Bago is set to revamp the State Geographic Information System.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Muhammad Yakubu Muhammad Kolo said the State Government through his Ministry will continue to work in collaboration with not only development partners but all relevant stakeholders as the State continues to emphasize data generation, analysis and provision of processed and analysed information to achieve set targets.
He said the equipment will help the government in the delineation of the vast lands in the area of entrenching digital approach of resurveying and remapping the State’s Forestry as against the archaic mode of approach.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator, ACReSAL, Usman Garba Ibeto said the World Bank assisted gesture borne out of the desire to meet up with international best practices.