Long Admarc queues worry ACB: Bribery fears

Graft busting body, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has expressed worry that long queues at Admarc depots is a fertile breeding ground for corruption.

ACB corruption prevention officer Susan Phiri said this after she visited several Admarc depots in the southern region.

Phiri said she was concerned with long queues at Admarc depots especially in Mulanje and Thyolo.

“This is a very worrying situation. This can be as a result of the commodity being sold dubiously or traders are buying the maize for reselling,” said Phiri.

She said her office is investigating the matter to see if there is an element of corruption.

Both National Food Reserve Agency and the parliamentary committee on agriculture assured the nation that the food reserve agency has enough food up to March 2016.

However, people have been complaining that most Admarc depots do not have maize stocks and are perpetually closed despite NFRA assurances that 40 trucks leave the silos everyday with maize to all Admarc depots.

Phiri said this was the reason for the ACB to probe the distribution and selling of maize.