FRA rubbishes claims of maize shortage in Chisamba
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has vehemently denied the allegations that it has run out of maize in Chisamba District and that there is severe hunger in the area.
Kasonde Mwenda, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is claiming that FRA has depleted all its reserves in Chisamba and that people in the area are likely to suffer from acute hunger as a result.
But FRA public relations Coordinator John Chipandwe said Chisamba District was food secure and that there was still plenty of maize in the area, more than enough for vulnerable households.
“In this regard, the Agency wishes to strongly refute claims by the EFF leader, as they are not only false, but also irresponsible and dangerous. In this regard, the Agency wishes to urge the public to ignore his sentiments, as they are all lies,” Mr Chipandwe said in a statement yesterday.
He advised Mr Mwenda to be responsible and factual when commenting on emotive and sensitive matters such as food security as reckless statements had a potential to cause civil unrest.
Mr Chipandwe said in as much as Mr Mwenda wanted to prove his relevance in politics, he should not lose his sense of responsibility when making comments in public.
“The Agency wishes to state that Chisamba District is food secure and currently has a total of 78,732 by 50 kilogramme bags of maize while Central Province has a total of 413,297 by 50 kilogramme bags all being stored in FRA,” he said.
Mr Chipandwe said FRA could not neglect any person in its provision of service as it was a strategic government institution mandated to provide a strategic service to all Zambians regardless of race, ethnic, political and religious affiliation.
“If it is true that the Agency has run out of maize, how is it possible that Zambia Correctional Service and Zambia National Service are currently collecting maize for milling into affordable mealie meal that is being offloaded daily on the local market countrywide? How is it also possible that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit is currently collecting maize?” he said.