The Federal Government has officially inaugurated a ₦40 billion Closed-Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) monitoring centre for the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State, marking a significant step in infrastructure surveillance and security.
The state-of-the-art CCTV centre, built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), was unveiled on Sunday by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, who described the bridge’s condition when the current administration took office in 2023 as “very terrible.”
“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 explained during the inauguration ceremony.
The minister revealed that President Bola Tinubu directed a comprehensive re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the bridge surfaces, including the replacement of expansion joints. He praised CCECC for delivering quality work that continues to benefit Lagos residents.
As part of the monitoring infrastructure, the ministry will hand over one boat and two Hilux vans to the police for bridge surveillance. “The idea of this project is that we have a lay-by on the bridge, so we view everything going on,” Umahi stated, while expressing concern about motorists speeding on the bridge and urging compliance with traffic regulations.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olufemi Dare, described the centre 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,” he said.
The facility boasts impressive technical specifications, including 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300KVA transformer, standby generators, and monitoring screens. Additionally, the project includes 1,268 solar street lights and features full air-conditioning throughout the building.
Dare disclosed that the project’s contract sum stands at ₦40.17 billion, with the Federal Government having paid ₦36 billion to the contractor. He indicated that this is the first-level commissioning, with plans for a full-blown commissioning once the bridge extension is completed.
The minister thanked President Tinubu for providing the necessary resources and commended Umahi for ensuring due process in establishing the monitoring centre.
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