By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
The Lagos State Government has commenced the installation of 2,000 Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the state.
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Popoola Fahm, disclosed this on Tuesday at a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year in office of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Fahm also disclosed that soon pupils in public schools will have free access to the internet with the completion of fiber optic cables being laid across the state.
He stated that the state government is working tirelessly to increase public access to the Internet and promote digital literacy.
The commissioner said the projects, among other, are part the reason Governor Sanwo-Olu is investing heavily in technology in order to safeguard state and to attract foreign investors.
Fahm said the number of CCTV cameras installed are increasing daily, with 100 CCTV cameras already installed in Ikeja metropolis.
He added that, upon completion, the project will advance the Lagos economy by becoming a 24-hour driven commercial centre, which would allow companies to operate in a safe, secure and smart environment that would create more jobs and increase the GDP of the state.
Apart from the installation of the CCTV cameras across the state, Fahm said that the Sanwo-Olu administration had implemented a 3,000 km of Fibre Metro Network connection in year 2020 and additional 3,000km in year 2021 across the state as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme that seeks to provide a 24-hour driven economy.
Speaking further, Fahm said that the implementation of Lagos State Smart City Project is to enable governance, connectivity and environmental security, saying that the use of technology would make reporting of security incidents easy to reach, and promote access to major stakeholders in the government.
The commissioner reiterated that the project will also incorporate smart technologies into transport infrastructure surveillance and security, healthcare services, education, government services and making Lagos to be technological development through the provision of affordable internet access, hence it would close the gap between the people and the government.