The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the $460 million Chinese loan obtained by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across the Federal Capital Territory, a project that was never completed despite years of debt servicing.
In 2010, the federal government obtained a $460 million loan from the China EXIM Bank to finance the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations across the FCT to curb insecurity.
The contract was awarded to ZTE Communications, a Chinese firm, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Beijing by Olusegun Aganga, the then Finance Minister.
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The loan was part of a $600 million soft credit facility, repayable over 10 years after an initial 10-year grace period.
The House resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Amobi Ogah, who represents the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The motion, titled “Need to investigate the rising insecurity and loss of several lives in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, despite the CCTV project secured with a Chinese loan of $460 million,” drew attention to the growing wave of insecurity in the nation’s capital and questioned the fate of the long-abandoned surveillance project.
Ogah said despite the substantial financial commitment, there has been no visible impact of the project on public safety.
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“The administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, acting in good conscience, sought to tackle insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory through the installation of CCTV cameras to monitor criminal activity. Yet, despite the heavy investment and continuous servicing of the loan, there is no evidence of functionality. Instead, insecurity in Abuja has worsened, with rising incidents of violent crimes and loss of lives”, Ogah said.
Ogah described the situation as a “lose-lose nightmare” for Nigeria, given that the country continues to repay a loan for a non-functional project executed by the same foreign contractor from which the loan originated.
The motion was adopted by the House, which resolved to mandate its relevant committees to investigate the utilisation of the loan and the current status of the CCTV project.
