Government prodded to intervene in Mufulira Mealie meal shortage
Government prodded to intervene in Mufulira Mealie meal shortageLusaka, March 13, ZANIS – Kantashi Member of Parliament Yamfwa Mukanga has implored government to persuade millers to send more mealie meal to Mfulira to cushion the current shortage of the commodity in the area.
Mr. Mukanga told ZANIS in an interview that the situation in the boarder town has worsen as people are smuggling to the commodity to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He said even in places that the commodity is found that traders are selling it at K50 000 per 25 kg bag.
He said the smuggling of the commodity should be stopped saying the country does not need to export mealie meal at this time.
The town has for the past one week been faced with the shortage of mealie meal.
And when contacted for a comment, Copperbelt Province Minister George Mpombo attributed the shortage of the commodity to hiccups in operations of Roan Antelope Milling Company which is a major supplier of mealie meal in the province.
Mr. Mpombo told ZANIS in a telephone interview that the situation is expected to be normalized following the resumption of production of the plant.
He said he has since requested for a report from the Mufulira District Commissioner Dysord Muulwa so as to verify the reported smuggling of the mealie meal to a named neighboring country.
Meanwhile Mr. Mukanga has however commended the office of the Vice president for quickly releasing about 30 metric tones of maize to Kantashi Constituency.
He said the District Commissioner is currently putting in place logistics for the distribution of the relief to needy people in the area.
Mr. Mukanga further said his constituency will soon embark on the drilling of boreholes following the approval of his request by the Ministry of Energy and Water Development.
ENDS
