Maravi

Transporters demand K300m from FRA

Transporters demand K300m from FRA
By Emmanuel Kapampa in Mpulungu
Thu 13 May 2010, 03:20 CAT

OVER FIVE transporters from Mbala and Mpulungu districts in Northern Province are demanding to be paid over K300 million which is owed by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) over maize and fertilisers they transported for them last year.

Spokesperson for the five transporters Kelly Syabeene confirmed the development and said the huge debt had crippled their businesses.

Syabeene said in the contract they signed with the FISP, it was agreed that the government would settle their dues within 30 days after presenting their bills.

He said they completed ferrying tonnes of fertilisers and maize seed for FISP from sheds in Mpulungu town to satellite depots mainly located on the plateau area of the district sometime in December, and it was now clocking five months since they presented their bills but have not been paid.

Syabeene complained that all they had been told was that there was no money to pay them.

On FRA, he said he had to plead with Mbala-based transporters to come and work in Mpulungu because some local transporters had refused to work due of the bad state of the roads in the area.

‘’So we ferried maize for FRA from July 2009 to February this year. We were transporting the maize from farm blocs to FRA depots here, but up to now we have not been paid our money,’’ he revealed.

Syabeene complained that their operations as transporters had been crippled because they were made to cover all expenses in fuel and maintenance of their vehicles using their money, with assurances to be paid later.

He said transporters were now stranded because their clients (FRA and FISP) were keeping their capital and profits.

The transporters who want the K300 million are UZYA Transport, Musika Transport, Manduzi Transport, Real Empire, Chindo and Simukoko transport services.

Labels: DEBT, FRA

posted by MrK @ 4:00 PM