Zambian President Edgar Lungu revealed on Tuesday that China's Avic International has been awarded a contract to construct about 2,350 houses for police officers.
In remarks delivered during a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the initial 48 houses for police officers in Lusaka, the country's capital, the Zambian leader expressed optimism that the Chinese company will compete the project by the end of March next year.
The houses to be constructed at a cost of 320 million U.S. dollars will help address the current housing deficit for officers in the security wings, he added.
According to the Zambian leader, a review of the housing situation in the Ministry of Home Affairs indicate that it has a housing deficit of 12,000.
The security wings under the Ministry of Home Affairs include the Zambia Police, Immigration Department, Zambia Prison Service and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
The Zambian leader said lack of decent housing is a challenge for the entire country and that his government is determined to come up with initiatives to provide decent housing for the whole country.
Davies Mwila, the Minister of Home Affairs, said under the project 1,454 houses will be built for police officers, 677 for Zambia Prison Service, 117 for the Immigration Department and 102 for the Drug Enforcement Commission.
Gong Jiayan, AVIC International senior vice president said his company will ensure that it constructs houses of good quality and assured that the project will be completed within the stipulated period.
He said his company will work with local suppliers during the construction period for the project which he said will provide jobs for local people.
