Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:44:27 +0000
Government is trying to shift the blame on their mismanagement of the farming season by blaming fertilizer suppliers Omnia Fertiliser and Nyiombo Investments, says UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa.
Mr. Mweetwa the Choma Central Parliamentarian told the Daily Nation that it was sad that the PF leadership had intensified a smear campaign against the contracted fertilizer distributors as the cause for the delayed supply of inputs under Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Mr. Mweetwa said that it was sad that the PF government had continued to blame others for their own mistakes, adding that shifting the blame on the distributors would not help the resolve the current problems the sector was facing.
Agriculture Deputy Minister Rogers Mwewa warned that the PF government would soon deduct 0.5 percent per week delayed distribution of inputs on the due payment to the companies. But Mr. Mweetwa said that the PF government was being insincere in the manner they were handling the issue of farming inputs, adding that it was unfortunate that the PF was fond of forgetting things.
“We told them that these instigated corruption investigations you have slapped on the companies distributing the farming inputs for the 2012/2013 farming season will affect the agriculture sector. We told them that they should stop forth with because farmers will not receive inputs on time but as usual in their we know it all arrogance syndrome they went ahead with their intention and yet today they want to complain about the delays and threaten the two companies of deductions, that is illegal and hypocritical on the part of PF,” he said.
Mr. Mweetwa who is also African Parliamentarian Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Zambia Chapter Chairperson said that it was unfortunate that the PF government had continued behaving as if they were still in the opposition.
And Omnia Fertiliser general manager Vincent Mukiamba said the delay in delivering the input was a sad development but that this has been occasioned by government’s delay in signing of the contracts. Mr. Mukiamba said that his company would finish the fertilizer distribution by end of the week to all the districts that were remaining.
“At this point, I can confirm that we have so far distributed about 96 percent of the fertilizer that was contracted to our coGovernment is trying to shift the blame on their mismanagement of the farming season by blaming fertilizer suppliers Omnia Fertiliser and Nyiombo Investments, says UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa.
Mr. Mweetwa the Choma Central Parliamentarian told the Daily Nation that it was sad that the PF leadership had intensified a smear campaign against the contracted fertilizer distributors as the cause for the delayed supply of inputs under Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Mr. Mweetwa said that it was sad that the PF government had continued to blame others for their own mistakes, adding that shifting the blame on the distributors would not help the resolve the current problems the sector was facing. Agriculture Deputy Minister Rogers Mwewa warned that the PF government would soon deduct 0.5 percent per week delayed distribution of inputs on the due payment to the companies. But Mr. Mweetwa said that the PF government was being insincere in the manner they were handling the issue of farming inputs, adding that it was unfortunate that the PF was fond of forgetting things.
“We told them that these instigated corruption investigations you have slapped on the companies distributing the farming inputs for the 2012/2013 farming season will affect the agriculture sector. We told them that they should stop forth with because farmers will not receive inputs on time but as usual in their we know it all arrogance syndrome they went ahead with their intention and yet today they want to complain about the delays and threaten the two companies of deductions, that is illegal and hypocritical on the part of PF,” he said.
Mr. Mweetwa who is also African Parliamentarian Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Zambia Chapter Chairperson said that it was unfortunate that the PF government had continued behaving as if they were still in the opposition. And Omnia Fertiliser general manager Vincent Mukiamba said the delay in delivering the input was a sad development but that this has been occasioned by government’s delay in signing of the contracts.
Mr. Mukiamba said that his company would finish the fertilizer distribution by end of the week to all the districts that were remaining. “At this point, I can confirm that we have so far distributed about 96 percent of the fertilizer that was contracted to our company. I think you appreciate that the contract could have been done much earlier in the year but we only signed at the end of September.This means that we only had October, November and December to distribute the entire 60,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nyiombo Investment attributed the delay to challenges with Tazara the company contracted to transport the fertilizer from Tanzania to Zambia. Operations Manager Kwazi Dlamini also said that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (CCPC) investigations stopped the process of distribution as files and other important information were confiscated for investigations until last month December.
Many farmers across the country have complained of a poor yield because of the government’s inability to manage the agriculture sector professionally. They are annoyed with government for failing them in the distribution of inputs but government has shifted the blame by condemning the contracted fertilizer distributors.
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has also raised concern on delayed delivery of input to farmers. ZNFU media unit has described the situation as unprecedented in the history of the country and that this will affect household and national food security in the country. mpany. I think you appreciate that the contract could have been done much earlier in the year but we only signed at the end of September.
This means that we only had October, November and December to distribute the entire 60,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer,” he said. Meanwhile, Nyiombo Investment attributed the delay to challenges with Tazara the company contracted to transport the fertilizer from Tanzania to Zambia. Operations Manager Kwazi Dlamini also said that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (CCPC) investigations stopped the process of distribution as files and other important information were confiscated for investigations until last month December.
Many farmers across the country have complained of a poor yield because of the government’s inability to manage the agriculture sector professionally. They are annoyed with government for failing them in the distribution of inputs but government has shifted the blame by condemning the contracted fertilizer distributors.
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has also raised concern on delayed delivery of input to farmers. ZNFU media unit has described the situation as unprecedented in the history of the country and that this will affect household and national food security in the country.
