The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has mandated the use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) in all public premises within Abuja to curb insecurity.

The coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

“Henceforth, mandatory use of CCTV would be included in the requirements for building approval in the nation’s capital,” Mr Shuaibu vowed.

The coordinator also said council officers would be going around the city to enforce compliance with the directive.

He expressed optimism that using CCTV would help security agencies fight crimes and criminality in the territory.

“Our major decision now is to make sure, and we are going to inform everybody within the city and the entire territory to ensure that all public places have CCTV.

” There must be CCTV in all public premises in the FCT as from now, and we will ensure the enforcement of this very important decision which is of national security,” he stated.

According to him, using CCTVs will enable proper monitoring of activities and curbing of crimes.

Similarly, the coordinator emphasised the need for all public buildings to provide adequate fire-fighting equipment in the territory.

” This one is there in the provision for the approval of buildings in Abuja. You must have it before you will be allowed to build in Abuja,” he said.

Also, the FCTA’s Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, said,” We are all living witnesses to the issues of crime and criminality. As a responsible administration, we have to review our process and procedures.

” And one way that we could curtail the issue of criminality is using the provision of Urban and Regional Planning Law for the Department of Development Control because this is part of global best practices.”

Mr Galadima added that the affected public buildings include offices, commercial buildings, hospitals, schools and anywhere where the general public gathers and transact business.

(NAN)