FRA; K29million worth of maize collected and unaccounted for by Golden Manela Investments

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

FRA; K29million worth of maize collected and unaccounted for by Golden Manela Investments

iii. Questionable Collection of Maize by Golden Manela Investments Limited –
K29,033,240.

The Controlling Officer explained that the Agency received an application from Golden
Manila on 28thJune; 2022.

Further, the Agency’s first transaction with the Company was on 7th July, 2022 as the first offer of 400 metric tons of maize. The Controlling Officer further informed the Committee that the background to the maize export programme, as documented
in the records made available to the Auditor General, was that on 11th October, 2021, the
Secretary to the Treasury and the Minister of Agriculture, granted authority for the Agency to sell surplus maize intended for export, to any persons, company or business entity that had sufficient funds.

Additionally, on 5th December, 2021, the Agency published an advertisement in the Times of Zambia Newspaper, regarding the sale of maize for export.

In order to be eligible for the maize sales export program, prospective buyers were only required to submit the registration/incorporation from the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA)
(company, partnership, sole trader, cooperative etc.); the ZRA Tax Clearance Certificate and proof of payment of K1,500.00 as a participation fee.

The Controlling Officer further explained that, the Minister of Agriculture, in a letter dated 1st February, 2022, guided the Agency to reduce bureaucratic delays in the maize export program.

The Controlling Officer also submitted that despite the fact that Golden Manela Limited was based in Chamba Valley in Lusaka, this did not disqualify the Company from collecting the commodity from any district
of its choice.

The Controlling Officer further clarified that the total number of offers/contracts made to
Golden Manela were eight as highlighted in the table below.

Committee’s Observations and Recommendations

The Committee is of the view that the omission of the six maize sales contracts for Golden Manela Investment Limited from the list of contracts provided to the auditors during the audit, may have been done on purpose, in an attempt to deceive or conceal this information from the auditors.

Therefore the Committee urges the Controlling Officer to investigate these
contracts further and if the contracts were mismanaged, appropriate action, including a report on the matter to the relevant law enforcement agencies, should be undertaken.

FTOM; The Report of the Auditor General on the Accounts of Parastatal Bodies and Other Statutory Institutions for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2022. The Report covers the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2022.