Press Releases

We Are At Threshold Of Full Deployment Of Camera And Tracking System – Fashola

Jan 26, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday said the state is at the threshold of the full deployment of camera and tracking system coverage for the state having been satisfied that the technology can and will work.

According to Governor Fashola who spoke when the board and management of Afribank Plc paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Alausa, the pilot scheme has already been demonstrated and government is satisfied that the technology can and will work.

Said he: “What we are doing now is to complete the building where all of the data will be warehoused, processed and dispersed as they come in. It would be useful to help us monitor not only crime scenes but manage traffic, respond to chaotic situations, monitor those who have made it a way of life to destroy public properties and monitor all of those who choose to dump refuse in inappropriate places”.

Governor Fashola emphasized that the possibilities of what is possible with the cameras would be seemingly limitless and endless, adding that one possibility is certain: “We will all be safer and secure”.

He informed that the state government has taken a cue from the colonial masters who taught Nigerians the beat and patrol system and have since found out that in a world characterized by massive migration to cities, patrols alone cannot be effective to police the state and they have moved to the deployment of cameras and tracking systems,

He reiterated that the state will not levy taxes on security and will also not impose payments on security as it believed that the problem of security anywhere is the problem of security everywhere.

The Governor posited that the environment in which the present administration thinks it is necessary to achieve the Lagos of the future is an environment where security of life and the enthronement of law and order cannot be compromised.

He explained that having realized that it could not do this on its own, the state created the State Security Trust Fund which has the force of law behind its operations, but has ensured that donations and contributions to it have remained donations.

In his words: “The Security Trust Fund today has the force of law by which it is statutorily created. Has an executive secretary and a board of trustees comprising of about 80 percent of its membership drawn from the private sector while only about 20 is drawn from this part of the divide. That board is getting towards its second year and we had the second launch of it where we presented the audited accounts of every donation that was received and how it was applied”.

Said he; “We believe it is something that affects everyone of us and we believe that if we rally a commitment and passion round it ,if we become unyielding and decide that we will take our state and our common patrimony from a very few people who decide to break the law. We would succeed”.

Governor Fashola reassured that the state is already succeeding as the crime rate in Lagos has significantly gone down and is going down progressively.

The Governor added that: “We are increasing the capacity to fight crime and increasing capacity to save lives. More ambulances are being deployed, more fire engines exists. More and more personnel are being trained in life saving and emergency response schemes even as we respond today”.

While admitting that there is still a lot to be done, Governor Fashola said the state has resolved after seeing best practices the world over that the problem of security is increasingly taking challenging dimensions and one in which technology must play a very critical role in how the police can secure everyone.

In his words: “Today, your state now has a toll free 3 digit no - 767 that people can call in times of distress. It is toll free even if you do not have credit in your phone, you can make that call. The call will be processed and response will head your way”.

Governor Fashola said Lagosians more than anyone else have made what has been happening in Lagos very possible with their support for the government, adding: “Their willingness to forbear, their response to their civic obligations has made our task lot less difficult than it would have been. For us, it means that increasingly, Lagosians are no longer mouthing democracy, they are practicing democracy, they are getting involved and we are responding”.

Governor Fashola commend the re-emergence of Afribank Plc which started out as International Bank for West Africa (IBWA),adding that he is aware of how active the bank has been in the developmental efforts of Lagos, expressing the that the opportunities for increased partnership can only get better.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the board of Afribank Plc, Mr. Mr Osa Osunde had congratulated Governor Fashola about the extent of work which he is carrying out in Lagos, imploring him to go on and not be distracted.

He said the feat of Governor Babatunde Fashola has shown that young men can raise their head and say: “yes, we can do it”.

Mr Osunde added that he often wonders whether the fellow competitors of Governor Fashola at the last governorship elections would not be asking themselves if they can indeed measure up to the standards set by Governor Fashola if they had been elected.

He announced the donation of 10 hilux vans which would be available in two weeks to the State Security Trust Fund.