The government ha s confessed that it was not entirely in control of how the 2016/17 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) was administered; hence, it could not rule out that fraud and other irregularities marred the K34.7 billion programme.
According to Fisp Deputy National Coordinator Osborne Tsoka, other stakeholders such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the police and the Farmers Union of Malawi played different roles in policing and ensuring that farmers benefit.
The sentiments by Tsoka come hot on the heels of concerns by the Parliamentary Committee of Agriculture that it suspects that some officials at the Ministry of Agriculture are frustrating efforts by the committee to probe the 2016/17 Fisp by withholding some important documents.
The committee, on March 10, 2017, wrote the ministry through Principal Secretary Erica Maganga, requesting for information on the procurement of inputs for current growing season and the committee’s Chairperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga believes that some important documents were withheld.
Some of the missing documents include details on which supplier was responsible for which area as well as how much of the total tonnage the suppliers have supplied.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Tsoka said the ministry provided 15 copies of documents containing information that was requested for, but was quick to add that the other information was not available because the government made some changes towards the end of the programme.
“We noted that some suppliers were unable to supply and by then it had already started raining, so we opened up to any supplier to supply the inputs to any districts because had we imposed restrictions, some farmers in other areas would have been unable to access the inputs in good time,” Tsoka explained.
He also observed that that the ministry removed the restriction on the amount of tonnages a supplier was expected to supply per each contract because of what he said was failure by some suppliers to deliver.
Said Tsoka: “We gave an addendum to each of the supplier as per the contract and they were free to do what they wanted, and if some suppliers were signing addendum on behalf of big companies, we had no control over that. Subcontracting is not allowed and anyone found doing that will be answerable.”
Commenting on reports of fraud as some suppliers are feared to have been buying off coupons from farmers, Tsoka indicated that the ministry did its part in sensitising beneficiaries and that the policing system was beyond its control.
The committee was set to start summoning 27 private firms by end of last month on the alleged irregularities that marred implementation of 2016 Fisp, but the government indicated it has no funds for the exercise.
They are also fears that among the 27 companies on the list of suppliers are those that are allegedly owned by people with connections to the government.
Among the 27 dealers selected are Innovations Marketing and Advertising Agency, Computer Systems Malawi Limited and Network Plant and Vehicle Logistics Limited, RTM Initiative, ETG Inputs Limited, Mulli Brothers Limited, Transglobe Produce Export Limited, Astro Chemicals, MAS International and Gasom Traders.
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