FG Commissions N40bn CCTV Control Centre on Third Mainland Bridge

The Federal Government has inaugurated a N40 billion Close Circuit Television (CCTV) control centre on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, aimed at enhancing security, surveillance and traffic monitoring on the strategic route.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facility was constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Speaking at the inauguration on Sunday, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, said the administration inherited severely deteriorated bridge infrastructure when it assumed office in 2023.

“When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge, both on the pavement, surface, infrastructure above the water and even infrastructure below the water,” Umahi said.

He explained that President Bola Tinubu ordered a comprehensive re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, including replacement of expansion joints.

“Lagosians were very happy with the President for that beautiful work, and that work completed and commissioned is still succeeding because of the quality,” he added.

Umahi commended CCECC for delivering quality work and disclosed that a surveillance boat and two Hilux vans, procured under the project, would be handed over to the police for bridge monitoring.

“If they need to incorporate other security agencies, they can do that, but the idea of this project is that we have a lay-by on the bridge, so we view everything going on on this bridge,” he said.

The minister also expressed concern over excessive speeding by motorists, urging road users to obey traffic regulations.

Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, described the facility as the first of its kind in Nigeria.

“I doubt if there is any bridge in Nigeria that has what we have deployed here today, where you have CCTV to monitor both the underwater and even the bridge itself,” Dare said.

He explained that the centre is equipped with surveillance boats, two Hilux vans, 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a standby generator, monitoring screens and full air-conditioning.

“We have about 1,268 solar street lights that are part of this contract,” he added, noting that a borehole was also included in the project.

Dare disclosed that the total contract sum was N40.17 billion, out of which the Federal Government has paid N36 billion.

“This is the first level of commissioning. We are still going to come back here to do even the extension of the bridge, which is about to be completed… very sooner than later, we will come back to do a full-blown commissioning,” he said.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the project and Senator Umahi for ensuring due process throughout its execution.

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