3 PEOPLE, AMONG THEM AN AGRICULTURE CAMP EXTENSION OFFICER ARRESTED IN THE FISP SCAM
Over 180 by 50 kilograms bags of fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) have been confiscated from undeserving farmers in Zimba district of Southern province.
Zimba District Commissioner, Robinson Mlamfu disclosed this in Kalomo when a team of security agents and government officials inspected the 184 bags of both basal and top dressing fertilizers which are to be disposed of.
Mr. Mlamfu states that following a directive from the Provincial Administration to all districts to thoroughly inspect the implementation of FISP in their respective districts which in some instances has been marred with irregularities, he took efforts to investigate the agro inputs scam in Siamafumba and Mafumba camps in his district.
“We managed to intercept 54 packs of FISP inputs which were not accounted for properly in Siamafumba camp and five beneficiaries who were deprived of receiving their inputs in Mafumba camp. Working together with the police, we have managed to recover 160 bags from Siamafumba and 20 bags out of the 30 bags under Mafumba which we have brought here to Kalomo because we have no adequate storage sheds in Zimba,” Mlamfu states.
Three suspects have since been apprehended in the irregularities among them, an agriculture camp extension officer.
“Deserving farmers were denied the chance to benefit from this programme by replacing their names with new ones. We investigated this and that is why we appealed to those who did not genuinely get the inputs in good faith to surrender them before the law visits them and this is how far we have gone,” he said.
Mr. Mlamfu has since warned of stern action to anyone who would be found frustrating government efforts aimed at improving people’s welfare such as the FISP programme.
7,900 farmer beneficiaries were supposed to benefit under FISP in Zimba district during this farming season.
CREDIT: ZANIS