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…To install 2,000 HD security cameras
Funso Akanbi
As part of the moves to effectively tackle the second wave of the pandemic in the state, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has contacted Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca over the supply of the vaccines to the state.
The governor also revealed plans to enhance security in the state, saying that his administration was on the verge of rolling out 2,000 security cameras across communities through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) to tackle security challenges across the state.
Speaking on his administration’s efforts to get COVID-19 vaccines on a live television programme in Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos, being the epicentre of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria, had activated plans to augment the vaccine that would be delivered to the state in addition to the vaccine arrangement being made by the Federal Government for States.
According to him, the State Government did not have the plan to make the COVID-19 vaccine available to all residents, as the state may not have the resources to do that, adding that critical segments in the state population would be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity against the pandemic.
Sanwo-Olu said: “As a sovereign, we want the Federal Government to take the lead in getting the vaccine. As a sub-national Government, we are taking our destiny into our own hand. We have started conversation with some of the vaccine manufacturers. I have made contact with Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca. Developers of Moderna have written to us and we have written back to them.
“We are making our own sub-national contacts and part of the things to come out of this effort is that, once we see what the national government is doing in terms of protocols, then we can plan for our rollout. The contacts we made with vaccine developers are at the board level.
“We don’t have to vaccinate the whole of 22 million people in Lagos. The plan is around ensuring that there is herd immunity and that typically speaks to 50 to 60 percent of our population. That’s the target we need to really meet in vaccine rollout.”
On how Lagos would get resources to fund its vaccine programme, the Governor said the bulk of the finances would be realised from the private sector donations and international grants, adding that the State Government also had allocation for COVID-19 project in its 2021 budget.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who alsospoke on activities of his government since inception and other germane issues around development of Lagos, said that his administration was planning to install 2,000 high-definition security cameras to boost security architecture in Lagos
The governor said that his administration had strengthened security and the plan to improve efficiency of security architecture in Lagos. He eaid Lagos would continue to push for domestication of state policing as a strategy to efficiently combat crime and strengthen security across the State.
He stressed the need to employ at least 20,000 people to improve the police to citizens ratio and technology in intelligence gathering, noting that the State Government was on the verge of rolling out 2,000 security cameras across communities through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF).
He said: “One of the things we can do quickly is to improve the ratio of police to citizens number. That has not happened in a number of years. We believe that Lagos is under-policed, even as human population increases. If we address this imbalance through State Policing model, we can see a turnaround in security response. We are ready to have this conversation with the Police Force whenever they are ready.
The governor added:“In our Smart City project, we are installing 2,000 high-definition security cameras to boost security architecture in Lagos. We are set and before the end of the year, a lot of cameras will be up on our streets. Technology is one of the things we can use to efficiently provide security. With the data from the cameras, we can get more deterrent from troublemakers.”
Harping on the 4th Mainland Bridge, the governor said the project is a Public-Private Partnerhip project that will connect Lagos and Ogun States, adding that the bridge would link some part of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, when completed. He expressed optimism that the state might sign the contract by the end of the year.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, however, added that other projects that would enhance living conditions of the residents would also be commissioned and implemented in the 2021, adding that 4th Mainland Bridge was just the icing on the cake among the projects to implemented in the year.
