THE Government has Commissioned the US$10 million Safe City Project at the National Command Center in Lusaka.
The facility, which comes along with 10 auxiliary provincial centre units across the country, now makes the street cameras operational.
Speaking during the Commissioning ceremony yesterday, Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu said the facility would cover the operations of five units under his ministry, the Police, Drug Enforcement Commission, Immigration Department, Correctional services and Anti-Terrorism Center.
“This facility comes with advanced technology which will help promote real-time response to criminal activity which has become more sophisticated in the modern era. This will thereby further secure our citizens and public property,” Mr. Mwiimbu said.
He said the auxiliary centres were linked to the main unit in Lusaka which would enable law enforcement agencies to tackle crime collaboratively.
The infrastructure was set up by Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE, whose Zambia Services Limited Chief Executive Officer Arvin Xie said the unit was equipped with high tech cameras to detect crime.
Mr. Arvin said the facility would serve the country effectively and the project presented sincere gratitude, comprehensive cooperation and pride and promise.
“We also have a redundancy centre in Kitwe on the Copperbelt which is some form of a back up in case this system fails or develops a fault,” he said..
Chinese Embassy in Zambia Deputy Mission Head Lai Bo said the development signified the long-standing bilateral friendship between Zambia and China.
Mr. Lai said the two countries present leaders, Hakainde Hichilema and Xi Jinping, had built on the foundations of the Zambia, China forefathers in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries.