An association has warned Zambia’s technology regulator to carry out more research before establishing a computer assembly plant to avoid it from becoming ‘uneconomical’.

Last week, ITWeb Africa reported that the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) had received government authorisation to build the plant in a bid to lower local computer prices.

But Zambia’s Public Sector Development Association (PSDA) has said that instead of spending money building the plant, the Zambia should rather concentrate on investing on the manufacturing, food processing and construction sector to create employment.

PSDA chairperson Yusuf Dodia also said that before establishing the computer assembly plant, the Zambian government needs to train locals in the operation of the technology.

Dodia said computer technology is constantly changing and unless Zambia has a crop of sufficient IT engineers, the computer plant could be ‘uneconomical’.

“Government needs to do more research if it wants to invest in high technology equipment. This area is sensitive and if the government wants to achieve the desired results, it needs to have highly qualified people to handle such equipment,” Dodia told the Times of Zambia newspaper.