The Story Your path to the story
…says LASG installs 6,000km fibre optic cables
Hassan Murry
As the nation continues to face security challenges, the Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Popoola Fahm has said that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is embarking on aggressive installation of Close Circuit Cameras across the state to guarantee safety of lives and property in the state.
FAHM described the development as part of the strategies to implement smart city projects and beef up security in the state.
He said that the state government has also implemented a 3,000 km of Fibre Metro Network connection in 2020 and additional 3,000km in 2021 across the state as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme that seeks to provide a 24-hour driven economy.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on Sunday during a Special Ramadan Lecture held at the Marina State House, said that his administration was investing in 2,000 CCTV cameras to boost the security of lives and property in the state, adding that he would leave no stone unturned to make Lagos safe for all the residents.
But giving update on the CCTV cameras installation at the 2021 Ministerial briefing to commemorate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second anniversary, the state Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Popoola Fahm, said that the cameras have the capacity to capture happenings around the place where they were being installed. He said that the security breaches will be monitored with the technology innovations that have commenced operation in some parts of Ikeja, Alausa.
He described investment in technology as a game changer for development, adding that governments at all levels must adopt e-governance in order to effectively serve the citizens.
According to him, the aggressive installation of the CCTV cameras for effective monitoring and security surveillance across the state, is part of implementation of Lagos State Smart City Project which would enable enable e-governance, connectivity and environmental security.
The commissioner, who explained that the use of technology would make reporting of security incidents easy to reach and promote access to major stakeholders in the government, said that there are plans to also incorporate smart technologies into transport infrastructure surveillance and security, healthcare services, education and other sector.
Fahm said that the government services would be technologically driven through the provision of affordable internet access in order to close the gap between the people and the Government. He explained that the Smart-City project involved laying fibre optic cables across the state and building a metro-network where parastatals are connected
The commissioner said: “The unified fibre project is a multi-year project which will involve the installation of a total of 6000km in fibre optic cables that will come in two phases of 3000km eachThe State is installing both fibre cables and the infrastructure (fibre ducts) that other companies can latch on in order to expand their network.
“We plan to connect the fibre optic cables to all our public schools and institutions of learning, health centres, and all government offices and parastatals,” he explained. He said the State Government is working tirelessly to increase public access to the Internet and promote digital literacy.This one of the most aggressive project of the government.”
On his part, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on innovation and Technology, Mr Olatunbosun Alake, said that Lagos stands to benefit immensely from the the fibre optic cables, adding that the innovation will bring about a turnaround development of all sectors in the state.
“With the fibre optic, distance learning becomes a reality, health service will be delivered without physical presence, the e-commerce will also receive a boost. The higher investment in this, the better the GDP of Lagos State, so there are so many benefits in the ongoing projects.
Meanwhile, Fahm said that upon completion, the project will advance Lagos state economy by becoming a 24/hr driven commercial center, which would allow companies to operate in a safe, secure and smart environment that would create more jobs and increase GDP of the State. The commissioner described the Lagos Smart-City project as a transformation being achieved through technology in order to enhance the ease doing business, adding that it involved stationing of security cameras around the state.
Fahm explained that the State is using Technology to facilitate integrated policies and services that allow access to a range of public services, and also improve standards of living through online service delivery. ‘This comes in various forms such as tax submission and registration of businesses, reducing the administrative burden on the public and private sectors and improving transparency. E-governance effectively deployed can have significant impact on poverty reduction and increase the efficiency of public institutions,”he added.
The General Manager, Lagos Residents’ Registration Agency, LASRRA, Ibilola Kasunmu said that the agency has registered about 5million since its inception in 2011.
