The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Tuesday said 13,000 Closed Circuit Television cameras would be installed at major locations across the state to boost security.
A statement issued by the agency’s Head Public Affairs Unit, Mr Adebayo Kehinde, noted that the move was in line with the state government efforts to improve emergency and disaster management.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu, was quoted as saying in the statement that the CCTV camera installations would encourage effective and efficient response system.
He said that the state government also plans to step up a Monitoring and Surveillance Unit across the state.
“Additional dispatch centres with CCTV cameras would be established across the state to complement the emergency call numbers.
“With the CCTV, analysts could adequately monitor activities from the Command and Control Centres across the State.
“This is aimed at activating emergency response where and when necessary. These combined efforts can only make Lagos safer,” Tiamiyu said.
The general manger said that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the establishment of three dispatch centres at Lekki, Ikorodu Road and Badagry.
He said that the centres would complement the existing dispatch points located at the LASEMA Response Unit, Cappa, Oshodi, and the Command and Control Centre, Alausa.
“The agency is stepping up the activities of Monitoring and Surveillance Unit in preventing and militating against unnecessary loss of lives and properties in the state.
“The operation will include monitoring and surveillance activities in domestic, industrial and public facilities, which is a paradigm shift from the orthodox strategy of waiting for emergency to occur and then respond.
“The approach is a practical way of reducing emergency and disasters thereby reducing the huge expenses borne by the state government on emergency intervention and relief assistance to victims of various emergencies,’’ he said.
Tiamiyu, however, called on the general public to partner with the state government in mitigating, preventing and reducing hazards.
He urged the public to call the agency free toll line (112/767) whenever there is emergency for prompt intervention.