David Umahi confirms that the CCTV cameras on the Third Mainland Bridge are currently operational and ready for commissioning.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has certified that the newly installed CCTV surveillance system on Lagos’ Third Mainland Bridge is completely functioning as part of a larger government commitment to secure and preserve public infrastructure.
Umahi, speaking at a press conference on Friday during his inspection of important Southwest projects, confirmed that the system is working.
“Yes, I think we can commission that,” he stated in response to a question concerning the bridge’s CCTV installation.
The security system is part of a bigger infrastructure enhancement effort that includes solar-powered streetlights, road sensors, and emergency response capabilities targeted at boosting traffic monitoring, increasing road safety, and preventing crime.
However, Umahi expressed dissatisfaction with allegations of continued vandalism throughout the bridge and related infrastructure, particularly at the Iyana Oworo end, where safety reflectors, colloquially known as “cat eyes,” were allegedly ripped out by unknown individuals.
He denounced the theft of rods from bridge parapets and concrete structures, as well as the destruction of existing safety elements designed to provide visual and psychological relief to motorists.
Umahi advised individuals to see public infrastructure as shared property and to take ownership by reporting or deterring damage, emphasizing that the efficacy of any contemporary system, including monitoring, is dependent on communal responsibility.
“The minister can’t be everywhere. Everyone has responsibility for public infrastructure. So you have to severely criticize the folks who are harvesting rods off bridge parapets and concrete structures, as well as ripping the very lovely cat eyes we did.”
The CCTV system on the Third Mainland Bridge is part of the government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), which includes smart monitoring systems, rapid emergency response, and long-term maintenance procedures for critical federal road infrastructure.
The Third Mainland Bridge, one of Africa’s longest bridges and a critical transportation route in Lagos, has received substantial attention in recent years for structural renovation and, now, strengthened security infrastructure.