(LUSAKATIMES) Sata urge FRA to collect all maize and pay farmers without delay

Sata urge FRA to collect all maize and pay farmers without delay
TIME PUBLISHED - Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 4:25 am

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has warned that he will not take kindly to maize being soaked due to inefficiency and has tasked the new Food Reserve Agency director to ensure maize is collected from farmers and paid for without delay.

And the President has appointed former Pemba UPND MP David Matongo as FRA director and promoted Zambia National Service (ZNS) deputy commandant Brigadier General Nathan Mulenga to commandant and elevated him to the rank of Major General.

Mr Sata said Mr Matongo, who is former Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZISC) managing director, is fit for the job.

“We must collect all the maize and dump it on the doors of millers, who must ensure they pay for it,” the President said.

Mr Sata retired FRA director Professor Loveday Malambo and director of purchasing Lazarus Mawere in national interest.

Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Emmanuel Chenda says about 20 percent of the maize risks being soaked if it is not secured.

Mr Chenda said in an interview that government has put in place measures that will protect maize from the rains and also from thefts.

And the President has also appointed Brigadier General Alick Kamiji as deputy ZNS commandant. The President said, after swearing in the new ZNS chiefs, that the armed forces have abandoned their roles.

He said government does not have to spend money on feeder roads neither does it have to contract people to build bridges when this can be done by defence forces.
He said government does not have to spend money on feeder roads neither does it have to contract people to build bridges when this can be done by defence forces.

“Why should maize continue getting soaked when these wings are there? When officers are retired, why are they not being paid because ZNS is supposed to be the richest wing among the defence forces?” he said.

The President also said it was illogical for the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) to spend US$98 million to refurbish a building using a foreign contractor.

He said because of the bad roads, the previous government procured two 4×4 vehicles at K3.6 billion to be used on poor roads at the expense of Zambian people. He said the vehicles were flown into the country.

President Sata said ZNS should go back to what it was created for, saying this will bring a big change to Zambia.

Meanwhile, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) is expected to complete the production of 30,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser next week.

The company, which was contracted to supply 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), has so far produced 24,000 metric tonnes and has a balance of 6,000 tonnes.

The President also said it was illogical for the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) to spend US$98 million to refurbish a building using a foreign contractor.

NCZ executive director Richard Soko said the company is expected to complete the production of the consignment next week.

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock contracted NCZ to produce and supply 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser meant for the FISP for 2011/2012.

“We have produced 24,000 out of the 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser under the FISP, and we are targeting to produce the remaining balance by next week,” he said.

Mr Soko said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.

He said Government through Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is expected to collect and distribute the fertiliser produced so far.

“Distribution of farming inputs has started in some parts of the country and we are expecting Government to collect soon and distribute what we have currently produced,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Soko said the company has so far produced 10,000 tonnes of fertiliser for Nyiombo Investment out of 20,000 tonnes consignment for this farming season.

He said the remaining 10,000 tonnes will be completed after the completion of the FISP.

On the current fuel reduction, Mr Soko said it will contribute to lower production costs although its business is mostly based on raw materials.

“Indeed the reduction of fuel will lower production costs but, it will not necessarily be measured as we have already bought all the raw materials needed for production,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]