The Lagos State Government is implementing the deployment of 6,000km of Fibre Metro Network connection across the state,, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Fahm, has said.
Fahm said this on Tuesday during the 2021 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the second year in office of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration in Ikeja.
”The state implemented a 3,000km of Fibre Metro Network connection in Year 2020 and additional 3,000km in Year 2021 across the state, as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme that seeks to provide a 24-hour driven economy,” he said.
Fahm said that the implementation of Lagos State Smart City Project was to enable governance, connectivity and environmental security.
He said that the use of technology would make reporting of security incidents easy to reach, and promote access to major stakeholders in the government
The commissioner said that the project would also incorporate smart technologies into transport infrastructure surveillance and security, healthcare services, education, government services.
”The project will make Lagos to be technologically developed through the provision of affordable internet access, hence it will close the gap between the people and the government,” Fahm said.
He said that the Smart-City project involved laying fibre optic cables across the state and building a metro-network where parastatals were connected.
”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 each,” the commissioner said.
Fahm said that the state was installing both fibre cables and the infrastructure (fibre ducts) that other ICT companies could latch on, in order to expand their networks.
”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 said.
Fahm said that the state government was working tirelessly to increase public access to the internet and promote digital literacy.
Speaking on the installation of CCTV Cameras, he said that safeguarding Lagos had gone beyond the ordinary, as the state had built new data rooms, installed more cameras and effectively deployed technology in its operations, especially as regards to security and traffic management.
Fahm said that when completed, the project would advance Lagos State economy by becoming a 24/hr driven commercial centre, which would allow companies to operate in a safe, secure and smart environment that would create more jobs and increase GDP of the state.
He said that the Lagos Smart-City project was a transformation being achieved through technology in order to enhance the ease of doing business, as it involved stationing of security cameras around the state.
”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 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,” the commissioner said.
(NAN)
