Cde Zhanda
Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Correspondent
OVER 110 000 tonnes of maize have been delivered to the Grain Marketing Board, with all the farmers being fully paid, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for Livestock Cde Paddy Zhanda has said. Deputy Minister Zhanda refuted allegations that officials at GMB were manipulating the system, which SAW farmers or middlemen who would have delivered their crop at a later date given first preference during payment time.
He said the payment system at GMB is watertight, where the amounts are being released from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on the basis of a well documented list that is coming from the national granary.
He was responding to questions from Magwegwe legislator Mr Anele Ndebele (MDC-T) in the National Assembly regarding measures Government has put in place to ensure that ordinary farmers are paid by the national granary ahead of “big names”.
“I am not aware of anybody who has jumped the queue in the payment process at GMB. If the MP has such evidence, I will only be too pleased to investigate and report back to this House,” said Cde Zhanda.
“I am also happy to say that the payment process at GMB is up-to-date, and I want to thank the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for having provided adequate funding to pay timeously all those farmers who have delivered the maize at GMB.
“I can also report that to date, GMB has received more than 110 000, which have been fully paid for,” Deputy Minister Zhanda said.
Responding to Chirumhanzu-Zibangwe legislator Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa on the foot-and-mouth disease affecting most cattle, Cde Zhanda said as Government, they are encouraging people in affected areas to construct abattoirs in their areas so that cattle do not move from one region to the other.
“Yes, the foot-and-mouth disease is still affecting our herds of cattle, and what has happened in Zimbabwe is that cattle are not allowed to move from a green zone to a red zone,” he said.