(LUSAKATIMES) Luanshya hit by a critical shortage of mealie meal
Luanshya hit by a critical shortage of mealie mealJanuary 13, 2009
Luanshya town has been hit by a critical shortage of mealie meal despite having a milling company in the area, namely, Antelope.
A check by ZANIS today in the central business area revealed that most of the outlets including shoprite, National milling outlet and other shops did not have the commodity.
Only one shop in the town had inadequate stocks of Olympic mealie meal which was going at K64,000, while Chimsoro brand was also pegged at K64,000 at Buseko Market at Nichorise shop.
A resident of Mikomfwa, Brian Chansa complained that the commodity had been scarce for almost a week and where it is available, it was still exorbitant, fetching at over K60,000.
Mr. Chansa said Government should move in and compel the millers buying maize from the Food Reserve Agency at a cheaper price, to reduce the retail prices of mealie meal. He wondered why some millers had stuck to the old prices when others had reduced the price of 25kg bag of breakfast mealie meal to as low as K49,000.
Meanwhile, three Hundred and Fifty(350) x 50 kg bags of relief maize meant for distribution in Chieftainess Muwezwa’s chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi district have been stolen.
Nyambo ward community School Chairperson Huphrey Kashweka who is responsible for distribution in the area has confirmed the development in a walk-in interview with ZANIS in Itezhi-tezhi today.
Mr Kashweka said that the 350 bags of maize which have been stolen were part of government relief maize that is being distributed by the Adventist Relief Agency(ADRA) in selected wards in the district.
“we received about 1,725×50Kgs of government relief maize last December which were supposed to be distributed to the beneficiaries last week but we had to return all the beneficiaries home after discovering that 350×50Kgs of government relief maize had been stolen” he said.
Mr Kashweka said he has reported the matter to the Itezhi-tezhi district police station and the District Commissioner .
He however stated that some people who were entrusted to look after the relief maize have since been arrested.
ZANIS/FM/MKM/ENDS
Labels: LUANSHYA, MEALIE-MEAL
posted by MrK @ 12:25 AM
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