Sat, 14 Jan 2017 10:53:56 +0000
By GWENDOLYN MCHENGA
THE construction of housing units and office accommodation for security personnel was an on-going programme which the Patriotic Front (PF) government has embarked on as one of the priorities on its developmental agenda, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has said.
Mr Kampyongo said this during the joint handover and commissioning of the newly constructed modern Chelstone police station and 41 housing units for the Immigration Department in Silverest in Chongwe.
The minister said President Edgar Lungu has resolved to continue with the infrastructure development in the country to ensure that citizens received quality service delivery from all departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He added that his ministry was one of the key beneficiaries of the programme because of its key role in the creation of a conducive environment for social and economic development.
Mr Kampyongo stated that Government embarked on the construction of 12,000 housing units across the country after it had realized that without decent housing and office space, service provision to the people across the country would be compromised and that could lead to poor service delivery.
He stated that in the past 40 years that Chelstone police post had been in existence, the station had been grappling with limited office and accommodation space and that had directly affected service delivery in the community.
Mr Kampyongo urged the Chelstone community to join hands with the police service in fighting crime around the area and directed Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to embrace the community through community policing and ensure that the building was protected from vandalism and kept clean.
He also congratulated the immigration officers for the 41 housing units that were part of the 117 houses to be constructed for the Immigration Department under the phase one project at a cost of K60 million.
Mr Kampyongo also thanked the Chinese contractor Avic International for their commitment in completing the two facilities within the specified period.
And Immigration Director General Moola Milomo said he was grateful to the Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs for the construction of the housing units and that the project demonstrated the importance the ministry attached to the agenda of improving and harmonizing conditions of service across security agencies. Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja said the provision of decent and modern housing units as well as police stations in most parts of the country which was being addressed by Government was boosting the morale of officers.
