Parliamentary committee seeks to block K24bn funding to Admarc
A parliamentary committee has asked the 193-strong House not to approve a government funding of K24 billion to Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) for maize purchase, saying the State produce-trader are inefficient and incompetent.
Welani Chilenga, chairperson of a joint Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change cluster committee told the House on Tuesday that instead, the money should be channeled to National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) who should be given the mandate to buy the maize.
“There is poor administration at Admarc. We have been told that Admarc has been forced to recruit more people when they are not needed.
“The ministry of Agriculture told us that there are 492 ghost workers at Admarc and Admarc officials told us that 7, 000 metric tonnes of maize rot in Admarc depots because of carelessness, making the governing lose K1 billion,” said Chilenga in an interview later.
Chilenga said NFRA seems well organised now and less corrupt now therefore should be given the money to buy the 96,000 metric tonnes of maize which they could sell during lean period using Admarc depots.
Admarc is one of the highly politicized parastatals in the country stuffed with unqualified personnel, most the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadres and cadets or party children or relations.
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Remove Roka Mauwa for she is not competent first, then remove DPP cronies. There is a need for competent people to run state owned enterprises as they are ran in India and China.
Rural farmers sold all their surplus maize to vendors who inturn sold the same to Indians. Where will ADMARC buy the maize with all that money. Give it to NFRA to buy from the Indians.
Mngakhale munthu ukakhala kut wakhuta nde kut chakudya chatsala or chaola APA zikungowonetseratu kut ku Malawi kulibe njala