RATIN

Committee wants solution on Zambia maize deal

Posted on March, 27, 2017 at 10:47 am


THE Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has asked the government to speed up the process of resolving complications in the purchase of maize from Zambia.

The process of procuring maize from Zambia was marred by anomalies as, among others, it emerged that the supplier, Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF), was unable to deliver 100,000 metric tonnes it was contracted to supply to the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc).

ZCF only managed to deliver over 4,000 metric tonnes of maize and is yet to get payment following contradicting information on the agreed conditions of payment.

Committee chairperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga said the longer it takes for the authorities to act and clear all anomalies, the more government will be paying attendant fees to the procurement process.

Currently, the maize is being kept at Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) warehouses and Malunga said the government needs to minimise storage charges that are being incurred.

“At the moment, the maize stock can’t be sold because the issues surrounding the procurement process are not yet resolved.

But we have to know that AHL is charging per day for keeping the maize. So if the government delays further, it will pay more money to AHL,” he said.

The conditions of the contract stipulated that payment would be made to ZCF upon its delivery of 10,000 metric tonnes.

However, Admarc said the supplier would still get paid for the metric tonnes delivered so far. The government is yet to comment on the matter.

Source: The Times Group