Maravi

Let’s stop this rot

Let’s stop this rot
Written by Editor

If the statement by the Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ) chairman George Liacopoulos that there is no shortage of maize in Zambia is correct, which we know it is, then Rupiah Banda’s government has a lot of explanations to make as to why there is this artificial shortage of maize in the country, resulting in shortages of mealie-meal.

In November last year, agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo announced that Zambia would import 100,000 metric tonnes of maize from South Africa in order to stabilise the supply of the commodity on the market. This importation would lead to an outflow of over US $40 million, at a cost of around US $420 per tonne.

However, we are told that the genetically modified maize that was returned to South Africa by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) last week was fetching far higher than the expected US $420 per tonne. The main reason for this importation was that Zambia did not have sufficient stocks and therefore, this shortage was pushing up the price of mealie-meal because maize had become expensive on the market owing to its scarcity.

Last week, FRA imported close to 35,000 metric tonnes of maize from South Africa, which were later discovered to be genetically modified. This maize was rejected and sent back.

Therefore, maize shortages are expected and consequently mealie-meal shortages or price hikes for the commodity because the government says the country has insufficient commodity to adequately supply the millers.

But George Liacopoulos says reports or statements that there is no maize in the country are misleading because his association, the GTAZ, has in excess of 90,000 metric tonnes of maize available for sale. He says this maize is held in Eastern, Southern, Northern, Central and Luapula provinces by his members.

George Liacopoulos further says this maize has been available for sale to all millers in the country since August last year and that quantities were recently counted and confirmed by officials from Dr Chituwo’s ministry.

George Liacopoulos says the millers have not come forward to buy this maize because they have an agreement to buy subsidised maize from FRA. This Zambian non-GMO maize was offered to the government and FRA at a market price as early as November last year but FRA has not availed itself of this offer.

George Liacopoulos also observes that if this locally grown maize was bought by FRA under the current subsidy programme, then the shortage of subsidised maize experienced by the millers would be immediately alleviated due to his association members’ maize stocks being strategically located around the country. If millers accessed this maize, they will resume full production of mealie-meal and in the process relieve pressure on the ever-rising prices of mealie-meal.

Since Dr Chituwo yesterday said FRA board chairman Costain Chilala would today be making a comprehensive statement on the maize situation in the country, we challenge him to give satisfactory answers to all the issues raised by the grain traders.

If our local traders have in stock 90,000 metric tonnes of maize to sell at a cheaper price, why should the Zambian government decide to import from South Africa at a higher price? Worse still, why import genetically modified maize? Why is the government not willing to buy from its local suppliers? Who is benefiting from this decision not to buy from local suppliers?

It cannot be denied that this maize transaction has been stinking from the word go. Someone is getting kickbacks. That is why they would rather import than buy from local traders because the benefits will be less if the government buys from local suppliers. It will be less lucrative for them to buy from local suppliers.

You see, because of the undercurrents, FRA and Dr Chituwo are failing to tell the nation who the suppliers of the genetically modified maize at a very high price are. Why? The simple answer is that James, President Rupiah Banda’s son, is connected to one of the suppliers. That is why Chituwo and FRA have difficulties in disclosing names of the suppliers of this condemned maize which unsuspecting Zambians were going to consume.

And because Dr Chituwo is either avoiding to be caught up in the mess or clean up the mess he didn’t create, he has pushed Chilala to be the one to explain the maize situation in the country. FRA is just Dr Chituwo’s agent so we cannot allow our government leaders to run away from responsibility. But this is what usually happens; when a mess has been created by invisible powerful hands, junior civil servants have to be thrown in the firing line to clean up the mess; they are sacrificed.

We urge all Zambians to stand up and demand proper accountability from Rupiah and his servants. Were tender procedures followed in the acquisition of this maize? Was the awarding of this contract to supply maize competitively done? If not, why? We hope the excuse of urgency will not arise because George Liacopoulos has told us that 90,000 metric tonnes have been lying untouched all over the country since August last year and yet FRA only sought to import 70,000 metric tonnes of the grain.

In any case, the government itself had earlier in November told the nation that over 90,000 metric tonnes of maize were available locally. After that, the government has not explained why it has shunned purchasing maize from local traders and farmers. This explanation has to be made today as Chilala addresses the press.

And why proceed to import at a higher price when the commodity is readily available in the country at a cheaper price? Is this the economic empowerment of citizens that Rupiah’s administration sings about?

FRA is using taxpayers’ money to pay for this maize. If suddenly their suppliers have been classified as top secret for Rupiah, then FRA should use Rupiah’s private money to pay for that maize. For as long as public resources are used to purchase this maize, Zambians will have the right to know who the suppliers of condemned maize are.

For sure, someone is making a killing from this confusion in the maize business, at the expense of 12 million Zambians. Today, we are talking about mealie-meal shortages in some parts of the country. And where this commodity is available, its price has been inflated due to the artificial crisis created by a few selfish and greedy individuals, especially those in power and those connected to them.

Yes, Frederick Chiluba once said Zambians are docile people. Maybe that is why these few selfish individuals have now gone to town trying to enrich themselves within a very short period of time. If indeed Zambians are docile people, this blatant theft of public resources, this banditry will continue unabated.

We call upon our people to rise and strongly reject this abuse of power and office by these selfish people. So many wrongs have come to the fore in the last three months of Rupiah in office. Suddenly, we are seeing some of the business people erect structures in places where they were stopped during Levy Mwanawasa’s time. That is why someone can have the guts to import GMO stuff even when they know that doing so is contrary to the government’s policy. We will not be surprised to hear very soon that the ban on GMOs is officially lifted by Rupiah’s administration.

Zambia is not Rupiah’s farm. So Zambians should not let Rupiah run the affairs of this country as he pleases. Let us stop this rot before it is too late. By the way, we are waiting to hear what Rupiah will say or do about Dora Siliya’s defiance of the Attorney General on the intended partial privatisation of Zamtel.

Or should we abolish the office of Attorney General since lay people like Siliya can ignore with impunity sound legal advice from the learned Attorney General?

Labels: CORRUPTION, FRA, GEORGE LIACOPOULOS, GTAZ, JAMES BANDA, MAIZE, MEALIE-MEAL, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:07 AM