OPC buying crops from farmers
Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday raised questions over the Office of the President and Cabinet’s (OPC) direct involvement in the purchase of farm produce in the K1.5 billion government initiative.
The MPs fear that the arrangement may compromise the initiative and end up only benefitting the governing People’s Party (PP) functionaries.
The MPs raised the fears during questions to Minister of Economic Planning and Development Ralph Jooma after he presented a report on the objectives and progress of the country’s Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).
Lilongwe Msozi South MP Vitus Dzoole Mwale asked the minister to explain why the K1.5 billion meant for the initiative is being controlled by the OPC, arguing such an arrangement threatens accountability, transparency and that it can also lead to corruption creep into the programme.
“And we are told that OPC is disbursing these funds to party officials with each getting a minimum of K6 million. This is public money,” said Dzoole Mwale.
Lilongwe South West MP Jean Sendeza said it could have been appropriate if these funds were channelled through the Agricultural Development And Marketing Corporation (Admarc).
Ntcheu Bwanje North MP Steven Kamwendo wondered:“What measures have been put in place to link the farmers to the international markets,” he said.
In his response, Jooma said although the OPC was involved its role was just to coordinate the programme while all the money is controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“But I am not aware that PP party officials are benefitting from the initiative,” said Jooma.
