Kwara State Geographic Information Service is poised to collaborate with the State Ministry of Water Resources to stop the encroachment on government land along Asa Dam area, within Ilorin metropolis, to safeguard lives and properties of the people.
The Executive Chairman, Kwara State Geographic Information Service,ESV Abdulkareem Babatunde Sulyman affirmed this, while playing host to the State Commissioner, for Water Resources and his team in his office, along Commissioner’s Lodge Way, GRA, Ilorin, the State Capital.
ESV Sulyman described the encroachment on Government acquired land in the State, especially in the Asa Dam area, as quite alarming and dangerous, adding that all stakeholders must work together to combat the menace.
He noted that the intricacies surrounding the encouragement along that axis are becoming too complex, reiterating that all hands will be on deck, to deal with the issue.
According to him, several years ago, a committee was set up to look into about 250 metres setback as suggested to safeguard the Asa Dam water from being polluted, but the effort did not yield positive results.
The Executive Chairman disclosed that, reasons some people were holding titles in some parts of the area was simply by crooked means, presenting a site analysis outside the setback to secure an approval from the then Town Planning Authority, adding that right now, title issuance on land in that area has been stopped.
He therefore, assured of the KW-GIS readiness to cooperate and support the Ministry by ensuring that appropriate setback is maintained, to safeguard lives and property, in the overall interest of the State.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Yunusa Lade, stated that issues affecting Asa Dam are two; the natural and human factors, being that of the activity of fish farmers at the water bank and people’s encroachment on land already acquired by the State Government, which has reduced the size of the water body, which portends grave danger, for the encroacher.
Lade therefore urged families to desist from selling lands already acquired by Government, especially Asa Dam riverine area, for the good of all.
Also lending a voice, the Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Christiana Asonibare, further solicited for KWGIS supports, henceforth put a stop to the issuance of titles in that area, to curb the further encroachments.
In their separate contributions, the State Surveyor General, Surveyor Ibrahim Mohammed and Director, Land Services, Esv Abdulwahab Abdulrahaman, maintained that several committees have been set-up earlier, but couldn’t reach a definite conclusion, therefore recommended that the committees’ reports be revisited with a view to reaching a lasting solution to the menace.
The meeting was attended by the Administrative Secretary, Mrs Motunrayo Adaran, Director, Urban and Regional Planning, Tpl Alao Fatai, and other principal of the agency.
