Zambia to assemble computers

A computer assembly plant will be established in Zambia this year in a government initiative that is expected to significantly reduce the costs of the equipment, President Sata has disclosed.
The President says that the plant, to be established in Lusaka, will create employment opportunities and produce low-cost computers available to the majority of Zambians.
President Sata said in his Facebook posting yesterday that the establishment of the plant will be spearheaded by the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA).
“Some of the benefits of the computer assembly plant include: job creation, availability of affordable low cost computer equipment to citizens, as well as value addition through use of some local resources such as copper in the manufacture/assembly process,” he said.
Mr Sata said Government is focusing on promoting e-commerce and use of information and communication technology (ICT) in trade promotion, establishing e-Government services and promoting e-education, e-health and e-agriculture.
President Sata has also said that by the end of this year, the ongoing optic fibre network  expansion is expected to cover a distance of 8,000kms from the current 7,385kms.
“These projects will contribute significantly to our goal of narrowing the digital divide between urban and rural areas and thus stimulate socio-economic growth in the country,” he said.
President Sata said Government’s efforts in promoting universal access to ICT services and products to the people will boost job creation and increase productivity in the economy.
He said during 2013, a project was launched through ZICTA to set up 169 GSM sites across the country mainly aimed at providing coverage to unserved chiefdoms and other rural populations.
President Sata said this project is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year at a cost of US$24 million.
“The 169 Towers Project will bring benefits of mobile phone service and other services riding on it such as Mobile Money to more than 200,000 citizens amongst the rural population,” he said.