Huawei video surveillance network deployed by Ghana Ministry of National Security
Information Certainty: Documented
Deployment Purpose: Surveillance, Access Control, Fugitive Detection
| Summary |
|---|
| In 2012, Ghana began cooperation with Huawei to install 800 security cameras in Accra, as well as crime centres to monitor the video. In 2018, they signed a deal with Huawei to expand the project to Alpha Phase 2, with the Chinese government providing funding for the acquisition. A report details that the nature of the expansion will include the addition of 'intelligent video analysis' and 'real time' fugitive detection. The camera network has been expanded to major cities and small districts in Ghana. Automatic number plate recognition is confirmed as a feature of the camera network. The report details that Huawei and the Chinese Government play a role in the management of the systems, it will only be fully handed over to the Ghana Ministry of National Security in the event of the projects completion. The 2019 report details that there has been concern from members in the Parliament about the system being owned by Huawei. Therefore it can be speculated that Huawei do indeed maintain ownership of the syste. |
Products and Institutions:
| Product Deployed | Safe City Software by Huawei |
|---|---|
| Institutions ⠉ | |
| Datasets | Huawei (Dataset) |
| Search software |
Status and Events:
| Status | Ongoing |
|---|---|
| Events | Start (2 January 2012, Documented, ?, First deal signed with Huawei) |
| Start Date | |
| End Date |
Users:
| Involved Entities | Huawei Government of China |
|---|---|
| Managed by | Ghana Ministry of National Security |
| Used by | Ghana Police Service |
Location:
| City | Accra Takoradi Kumasi Navrongo |
|---|---|
| Country ⠉ | Ghana Ghana Ghana Ghana |
Description[ ]
Uncertain information: Managed by
- Managed by: Huawei (Information Certainty: Speculative,Description: This report details that the ownership will be transferred to only the Ministry of Security (but as of yet has not been, in 2019).)
In 2012, Ghana first signed a deal with Huawei for surveillance systems. Since there has been cooperation with Huawei for safe city developments, with the Chinese government lending significant sums for the acquisitions. In 2019, a finance report details the nature of the surveillance systems established and to be established, managed by the Ministry of National Security. The project is termed ALPHA Phase 2. ANPR is used, and a real-time crime centre may imply the use of facial recognition. There is speculation that the deployment is nit fully managed by the Ghana government, as the Chinese government supplied the funding. The report states that once the project is concluded the management will be handed to the Ghana ministries. However the project has not yet concluded.
The first phase of the project as currently deployed provides the underlying infrastructure for national security and emerging response priority communications for both voice and data, as well as the backbone for our nationwide video surveillance (CCTV) efforts 2
An enhancement to the project proposed in 2019 was to support 'intelligent' video analysis and real time crime monitoring with control and command centres. In other contexts this typically involves the use of facial recognition. Real-time fugitive detection may be a euphemism for that.
f. Intelligent video analysis system: support intelligent video analysis, such as video abstraction, behaviour analysis, blacklist detection, monitor etc. The blacklist detection function can detect real-time fugitive, early warning, help the police quickly arrest the suspect. The monitor function can help the police in emergency events to implement fast video surveillance monitor, to help the police solve crimes efficiently 2
In 2021, it was reported that the network is expanding across Ghana. It has been confirmed that the network is active in major cities such as Takoradi, Kumasi and border regions such as Navrongo.
The government is to install 10,000 more CCTV cameras and cellular technologies at vantage areas in all regional and district capitals across the country to enhance the operational efficiencies of the security and intelligence agencies, the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, has told Parliament. He said the project would also provide for the installation of CCTV cameras in 432 out of the 900 regional, divisional and district police stations across the country 1
References
- a b "10,000 CCTV cameras to be installed in regional, district capitals — Minister". (2022) <https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/10-000-cctv-cameras-to-be-installed-in-regional-district-capitals-minister.html> Accessed: 2022-11-29
- a b c Finance Committee of Ghana. REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE: PREFERENTIAL BUYER CREDIT LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA (REPRESENTED BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE) AND THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF CHINA FOR AN AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND TEN CENTS (US$199,413,626.10) TO FINANCE THE INTEGRATED NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENT NETWORK (ALPHA) PROJECT - PHASE 2TERM LOAN FACILITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA (REPRESENTED BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE) AND THE BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA LIMITED FOR AN AMOUNT OF THIRTY-FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED AND ONE UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$35,546,101.00) TO FINANCE THE INTEGRATED NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENT NETWORK (ALPHA) PROJECT - PHASE 2). , 2019.