An House of Representatives Adhoc Committee has revealed that the country has been short-changed in the execution of the $470 million contract for the installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in Abuja and Lagos awarded to the ZTE Corporation of China by the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ahead of a public hearing organised by the committee investigating the projects slated for today, the panel noted that the naira equivalent of the money paid to the contractor was “over a trillion naira,” thereby calling for public support for a hitch-free investigation.
In a press statement issued yesterday and signed by the committee chairman, Hon. Ahmed Yerima, it recalled how the 7th House of Reps conducted a similar prob ein the past, adding that “forces” did not allow the report to see the light of day.
ZTE Corporation was said to have abandoned the projects after collecting an upfront payment of $100m, explaining that the amount collected represents about 20 per cent of this year’s N6.08trn budget of the country.
The committee added that the non-completion of the projects has also hampered the capacity of security agencies to gather intelligence on the activities of criminal elements in the country.
“The contract for the installation of CCT cameras in Abuja and Lagos by the ministry of police affairs, is part of a larger project titled, ‘Nigerian National Public Security Communications System, facilitated by an EXIM Bank of China loan.
“The CCTV camera installations is only an integral part of the entire project, which include the installation of 2,000 digital solar-powered cameras, 1,000 each for Abuja and Lagos; 37 switch rooms, microwave backbone; 37 coalition emergency response systems; 38 video conference sub-systems; 37 e-police systems; six emergency communication vehicles; and 1.5million phone lines for subscribers to generate revenue,” the statement said.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the committee has already summoned top government officials and other stakeholders to shed light on the matter, including the national security adviser (NSA) General Babagana Monguno (rtd), minister of finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Others invited are Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase, Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, FCT minister Mohammed Musa Bello, minister of interior General Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd), minister of communications Adebayo Shittu and executive vice chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Garba Dambatta, among several others.
Meanwhile, the committee has assured Nigerians that the investigation would not be about ego or party affiliation but the general good of Nigerians
http://www.leadership.ng/news/495046/nigeria-ripped-off-470m-cctv-project-reps-cttee.
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