UN, US urge transparency at Malawi grain marketor Admarc
State grain dealer, Admarc has come under intense fire from the UN and the United States for lack of transparency.
UNDP resident representative in Malawi Amakobe Sande and US ambassador to Malawi Virgnia Palmer told President Peter Mutharika in the face on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace in Blantyre that Admarc is not open and involved underground dealings as its officials buy maize secretly just as they sell maize secretly.
The two said this during the launch of the National Food Insecurity Response Plan aimed at addressing food requirements for 6.5 million people who are hunger prone.
“There is need to properly manage Admarc, there are a lot of things going on there which are not good, Admarc is shrouded in secrecy,” said Sande.
In addition, Sande said there was need for the government to implement food policied which she said are gathering dust at Capital Hill but could turn around Malawi from a food insecure nation to a bread basket nation.
On the other hand, the US envoy to Malawi had no kind words for Admarc: ”Stop back door sales of maize in Admarc depots if the crisis is to be managed.”
She told Mutharika that Admarc ought to be transparent but as of now the state run grain body treats its information as secret.
Admarc general manager Foster Mlumbe is fond of shouting at journalists when they want some information as he is said to be highly connected to powerful government and Democratic Progressive Party top officials.
Mutharika said the government is rolling out relief food distribvution exercise to the most hit by hunger from this month, July to March 2017.
“Let me assure you, no one will die of hunger in this country as long as I am your leader,” he said.
He said the government will try to bring down the prices of maize.
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US ambassador to Malawi Virgnia Palmer told President Peter Mutharika in the face on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace in Blantyre
When Malawians are starving, Admarcians get fat. Why? Ask JB.
The UN and US representatives are damn right. Something must quickly be done at Admarc. Admarc is just a murderous institution to say the least.