The House of Representatives on Thursday urged federal, states and local governments to install and reactivate Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and other security gadgets across the country.

The lower chamber said that the device was particularly needed in the Federal Capital Territory, states’ capitals and some major cities.

The call followed a motion by Reps. Adekoya Abdul-Majid (Ogun-PDP) and Abiodun Faleke (Lagos-APC) on the need to install CCTV cameras in Abuja, states’ capitals and other strategic areas.

The motion also called for the 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 concern at the dormant state of the CCTV cameras installed in Abuja by ZTE after it obtained a contract in 2010 to install the cameras in Abuja and Lagos at a cost of 470 million dollars.

He said that the failure of ZTE to complete the contract had hindered the ability of the government to contain security challenges facing the nation.

Supporting the motion, Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, called for thorough investigation the award of the contract.

In his submission, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, said that Nigeria had paid its counterpart funding on loans obtained from Chinese government for specific projects, including CCTV, without getting value for the money.

Lawmakers at plenary presided by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, unanimously adopted the motion.

Consequently, the house resolved to set up an Ad hoc Committee to investigate the circumstances of the contract awarded for the installation of the security cameras in Abuja and Lagos.

The Ad hoc committee is also to investigate the failure of ZTE to complete the contract.

It will also determine the extent to which Chinese nationals in the ZTE paid taxes to Federal Government coffers.

The committee was given four weeks for the assignment. (NAN)

•Photo shows Speaker Dogara.

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