$470 CCTV Contract: Why NSA’s Office Should Handle Project – Reps

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By; IYOKPO J. EGBODO, Abuja.
The House of Representatives has called on the executive arm of the nation’s federal government to ensure that the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), executes the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) nationwide awarded for the country.
The House has seen that awarding the project to private entities as mortgaging the nation’s security system, noting that what ought to be done was for the commercialized excess capacity of the network to be sold to operators and the revenues derivable to be used to defray the cost of maintaining and operating the network.
Adopting the report of its ad-hoc committee that investigated the award of the contract for the installation of $470 million CCTV, chaired by Ahmed Yerima, the House said government should not privatize the National Public Security Communications System (NPSCS).
According to the report, “All military and paramilitary agencies as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), electricity generation and distribution companies, among others should utilize the NPSCS network”.
The House also insisted that ZTE Nigeria Limited, the company awarded the CCTV systems contract should refund the discrepancy in the amount certified after an audit exercise, or bette, supply necessary equipment worth the amount, failure for which government should deduct same from the $20.247 million outstanding balance in of the contract sum, while further recommending a forensic audit on the balance.
According to the House, the number of cameras should be increased and those vandalized replaced, noting that the geographical coverage of the cameras should be expanded to increase surveillance and security in the country.
It also said former permanent secretary in the defunct ministry of police affairs, Mr James Obeigbu, should be prosecuted for deliberately refusing to release the approved N3 billion meant for network operations and maintenance in the project.

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