Abuja – The House of Representatives had urged Federal, States, Local Governments and other businesses to install and reactivate Close Circuit Television cameras CCTV and other security gadgets in the FCT.
This move followed a motion by Reps Adekoya Abdul-Majid (Ogun-PDP) of the Federal Constituency of Ijebu North/East/Ogun Waterside of Ogun Sate and Abiodun Faleke (Lagos-APC) of the Federal Constituency of Ikeja, Lagos State.
The motion was on the need to reactivate/install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Abuja, state capitals and investigation of failure of ZTE Corporation to complete the contract to install CCTV cameras in Abuja and Lagos.
Abdul-majid said that the absence of cameras for security operatives to monitor and gather intelligence on movement of people constituted a major problem in combating crimes.
He expressed concerns at the dormant state of the CCTV cameras installed in Abuja by ZTE corporation, after it obtained a contract in 2010 to install the cameras in Abuja and Lagos at a cost of 470 million dollars.
The lawmaker said that the failure of ZTE corporation to complete the contract also hinders its containing the security challenges facing the nation.
Also supporting the motion, Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila called for a thorough investigation into how the contract was awarded.
In his submission, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor said that Nigeria had paid its counterpart funding on the loan facilities obtained from Chinese government for specific projects, without getting value for its money.
The house, therefore, resolved to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the circumstances of the award of the contract for the installation of CCTV cameras in Abuja and Lagos.
The Adhoc committee is also to investigate the failure of ZTE corporation to complete the contract.
It will determine the extent to which Chinese nationals of the ZTE corporation paid taxes to Government coffers and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members at the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
In a related development, the Federal Government was call upon to rehabilitate two dilapidated roads in Ondo State in order to stop the incessant accidents and loss of lives.
This is sequel to a motion by Rep. Babatunde Kolawole (Ondo-APC) representing the Federal Constituency of Akoko South West/ East of Ondo State.
Kolawole in the motion stressed on the need to address the deplorable states of Owo – Iyere-Ipele-Ago, Alao-Owoani-Idoani- Ifira-Sosan- Isua Road and Owo-Oba- Ajegunle- Akungba-Iwaro-Oke-Oka-Okhia-Epinmi-Isua Road in Ondo State.
The lawmaker concerned that the roads were arterial roads and important to the socio- economic development of Ondo State and its environs in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
He said that the roads also linked the Western part of the country to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
According to him, the roads have deteriorated for the past 20 years as a result of their abandonment, thus leading to accidents that have claimed several lives as commuters attempt to navigate through the roads.
The house, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Works to include a proposal for the construction of the roads in the 2016 budget estimates.
It also urged the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency ( FERMA) to, in the interim rehabilitate the Owo – Iyere-Ipele-Ago, Alao-Owoani-Idoani- Ifira-Sosan- Isua Road to facilitate easy movement.
The motion was equally adopted by members at the plenary which was also presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
