Maravi

Scott urges farmers to help weed out corruption in maize marketing

Scott urges farmers to help weed out corruption in maize marketing
By Moses Kuwema in Serenje
Thu 07 June 2012, 13:24 CAT

VICE-President Dr Guy Scott says farmers should help the government weed out corruption in maize marketing and input support programmes by exposing the people involved. And Vice-President Scott says the government will distribute 4,000 bags of relief maize in Serenje.

Speaking when he addressed a public meeting at Nakalengule in Serenje on
Tuesday, Vice-President Scott said the government wanted to make input subsidy and maize marketing clean exercises.

He said the farmers could help by identifying individuals in their localities who were involved in corrupt activities.

"We shall continue buying maize through the Food Reserve Agency and will make it clean. We have no problem with giving you fertiliser and buying maize through FRA. A lot of businessmen were selling your fertiliser. Fertiliser is not for big businessmen but for you, don't sell it, you must help us to weed out corruption and move on with a clean system, you know the rats in your own house," Vice-President Scott said.

He assured the villagers that his government would continue with the developmental projects that were embarked on in Muchinga Constituency by his predecessor George Kunda.

And Vice-President Scott said it was wrong timing for Kunda's son, Howard, to have opted for the opposition in Serenje because they were still licking their wounds.

On the PF candidate Jeliat Ntembwa, Vice-President Scott said the PF opted for a youthful candidate as a way of empowering the youths.

"We promised to empower the youths and this candidate we have given you is a youth. We shall sort him out if he makes mistakes. As leader of the House in Parliament, he will be under my eyes and if he goes astray, I will sort him out," Vice-President Scott said.

He urged the PF youths in the area to work together and support Ntembwa.

"A decision was made by the Central Committee meeting and there is no change. You cannot have everything in life. I know this constituency is big and all these areas want their candidate to be adopted but you can only adopt one at a time," said Vice-President Scott in apparent reference to those who are opposed to Ntembwa's adoption.

And Ntembwa who was ordered to kneel before the gathering, pledged to be their servant once elected.

And Vice-President Scott yesterday said he was aware that the MMD would accuse his government of corruption over the 4,000 bags of FRA maize to people of Serenje, but that there was need to empty depots to create space for this season's harvest.

"This is a normal thing to do and the MMD when they were in power, they used to do the same. I have also instructed the permanent secretary and officers from the DMMU Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to remain here and you should tell them what is needed," said Vice-President Scott when he addressed a public meeting at Serenje Basic School yesterday.

Labels: CORRUPTION, FRA, GUY SCOTT, MAIZE

posted by MrK @ 3:23 PM