By Aaron Ossai
Worried by rising insecurity in Abuja the nation’s seat of power, the House of Representatives has sent up an Ad hoc Committee to probe the $460m “failed” CCTV project meant for the City center.
The resolution emanated from a motion on urgent need to investigate the rising insecurity and loss of lives in Abuja despite the CCTV project secured with a Chinese loan of $460m sponsored by Hon. Amobi Ogah, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.
Leading debate on the general principles of the motion, the sponsor, Hon. Amobi Ogah noted that the most important of all responsibilities of government is the protection of lives and property as well as the entrenchment of security to engender good governance.
According to him, “it was in furtherance of this and in the discharge of government obligations that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, acting in good conscience, embarked on the CCTV cameras around strategic areas to monitor unwholesome activities with a view to preventing crime and placing surveillance on criminals and apprehending same.”
The lawmaker further noted that in order to firm up the above, erstwhile Finance Minister, Dr. Olusegun Aganga led a Federal Government delegation to Beijing, China in 2010 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with ZTE Communications of China to which the contract for the installation of the CCTV was equally awarded.
He expressed concern that the funds for the contract were secured through a $460m loan obtained from the China-EXIM Bank and lifted from a $600m financing portfolio secured as a soft credit loan, with interest repayable in 10 years, after an initial 10 years of grace.
“More concerned that despite this huge investment as well as the financial burden Nigeria is subjected to by way of servicing the loan, the impact of the CCTV is not felt in any manner. Rather than abating, crime rate has soared in Abuja leading to daily reports of deaths arising from unmonitored crimes around the Federal Capital.
“Worried that the current situation whereby Nigeria is paying heavily for this loan obtained from a Chinese bank to execute the non-functional CCTV contract undertaken curiously, also by a Chinese firm and contractor leaves the country in a lose-lose nightmare”, he added.
