The Bill seeking to compel compulsory installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) on private buildings and offices has passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The Bill was sponsored by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, with the title: “A Bill for an Act to Make Provision for the Integration of Private Closed Circuit Television Infrastructure into the National security Network in Nigeria.”
The objective is to keep the environment in check and help security agencies to solve cases of crime through a network of CCTV security infrastructure.
The Bill stipulates a punishment of imprisonment and fine for any corporate organization or individual who fails to install cameras in his building or environs.
“Any company or organization in Nigeria that refuses, out of neglect, to install CCTV camera within and outside its premises is liable to a fine of at least N500,000 or an imprisonment of six months or both. Continual refusal to install CCTV camera shall attract a fine of at least N1 million or a year in imprisonment or both,” the Bill reads.
The Bill was introduced late last year as part of the House of Representatives’ efforts to compel both federal and state governments to use cameras as means of fighting insecurity in the country. But it isn’t the first time Nigeria is taking a shot at security cameras.
In 2010, the Nigerian government awarded a $470 million contract for the installation of 2,000 cameras in Lagos and Abuja. About $400 million was provided by the Chinese Eximbank for the Chinese firm, ZTE to execute the project. The Ministry of Finance and Police Affairs, and the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) came together to sign a tripartite agreement for the management of the CCTV cameras. The agreement holds the Federal Ministry of Finance as the borrower of the fund, the Ministry of Police Affairs was designated as the beneficiary while the Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited, was listed as the operator. The project was expected to be delivered by July 2011.
In October 2019, the House of Representatives was holding a plenary on the CCTV project. Nine years had gone since it was initiated and there were few sights of cameras in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the functionality of the few there are is a bold part of the question. In Lagos, there were some cameras stationed here and there in some streets, serving the purpose of fancy poles only.
The House Committee on Finance has two questions: why are the cameras not working? And what happened to the $460 million borrowed for that purpose?
“Before this administration, we have collected some loans, and the one that strikes me the most is the $460 million CCTV installation in Abuja,” Said James Faleke, the House Committee Chairman. “I want to know the position of this loan. I am sure we are paying back the loan but the CCTV is not working.”
He added: “Anytime we take a loan from China, the Chinese will come and do the job; they will bring all their equipment, the personnel, and the goods, yet we do not have value for the money especially that of the CCTV.”
Nigerian government’s first attempt at security cameras appears to have ended in disappointment but not discouragement to have another shot at it.
In July last year, the federal government of Nigeria announced a plan to install cameras on major highways in the country. The cameras are to be augmented by drones to tackle incessant security issues around the country. While that is yet to materialize and the mystery of the $460 million CCTV project is yet to be unraveled, the House of Reps seems to have a better idea that will change things.
It is believed that the CCTV project failed because it is a government project. Government projects in Nigeria are known to have a high rate of failures owing to its explanation of many factors – mainly corruption.
In the recent turn of events, it seems that the national assembly is bullying private companies to step in where the government has failed, as the threat of fine and possible jail term suggests. Government CCTV chronicles show that there is little chance that the federal government and states would implement the “Bill for an Act to Make Provision for the Integration of Private Closed Circuit Television Infrastructure into the National security Network in Nigeria” if passed.
INTRODUCING PSC SOLAR (UK) INH SOLAR STREET LIGHT WITH CCTV CAMERA
PSC SOLAR (UK) INH SOLAR STREET LIGHT WITH CCTV CAMERA is a new cutting-edge technology with lots of modern-day functionality.
The streetlight has a form of power-saving mechanism which makes it automatically comes on when it’s dark and it goes off at the early hours of the morning (7 am). The INH SOLAR STREETLIGHT WITH CCTV CAMERA has a motion sensor that puts the light at its full intensity (brightness) when motion is detected at night, when there is no motion detected the light goes dims.
REQUIRED APPLICATIONS
CamHi: This is a mobile application that is required for remote monitoring using your mobile phones.
P2PIP client: This application is required for remote monitoring using your computers
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CCTV CAMERA:
The CCTV camera is an IP camera that has the ability to connect to a wireless network, and stream recorded video real-time which makes it possible for anyone to remotely log into the network and view the transmitted videos.
USING THE CAMERA’S HOTSPOT:
Once the camera is turned ON it becomes a hotspot that a user connects to from either of the apps stated above (CamHi or PSPIP Client). As soon as a connection is established the user needs to input the camera’s UID number or scan the barcode to get the number.
A user can successfully feed streams using a phone or a computer instantly. To be able to feed streams both instantly and remotely a user needs to configure the Camera to internet Wi-Fi.
MULTIPLE STREAMING:
Multiple users can view what the streetlight CCTV camera is streaming in real-time
To able multiple streams, a user needs to connect the camera network to a Wi-Fi network with internet access. A user is then required to add the Wi-Fi network to its mobile network by simply going to Wi-Fi settings on their mobile app. Upon successfully adding that Wi-Fi network the feed becomes transmittable through the internet-enabled Wi-Fi.
This makes it possible for whoever has internet to be able to feed on the UID code of the streetlight into their mobile app using the designated username and password.
SAVING OF CAMERA FEED OPTIONS:
A user of the PSC SOLAR (UK0 INH SOLAR STREET LIGHT WITH CCTV CAMERA can save the videos from the camera feed on their mobile device or in the memory card of the camera. The camera memory card has about 32G TF cards.
The saving option selection is done from the mobile app or computer app depending on which app a user prefers to use for monitoring.
CONTACT:
Tel: 08089552800, 08120855444
Email: info@pscsolaruk.com
Main office: 41B Olutoye Crescent on Adeniyi Jones Avenue Ikeja Lagos Nigeria
Branch office: KM39, Lakowe,Lekki Lagos
About Author
