House Committee probes Malawi Bureau of Standards on expired fertilisers
The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has said it wants an explanation from the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) on expired fertiliser the bureau reportedly impounded from Rab Processors Limited.
Committee Chairman, Joseph Chidanti-Malunga, said on Friday that MBS told the public that the seized fertilizer belonged to Rab Processors Limited, only to change tune later and claim that it was from Africa Fertiliser Company of Dubai.
Malunga said the committee suspects MBS is hiding something.
“We all heard the story— it was in the media— and we were excited that MSB is doing its job. However, on September 28, MBS said Africa Fertiliser Company wrote them that the fertiliser did not belong to the local company but them.
“Then the following day, September 29, MBS wrote the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development notifying them of the change. This is raising suspicion because, after impounding the fertiliser, the bureau did not write the ministry. So, why writing them after receiving the letter from Africa Fertiliser? When we asked them [for the details] about Africa Fertiliser Company, they said they did not know about it and we are asking, ‘how come’?” Malunga said.
Malunga said his committee believes MBS is trying to defend Rab Processors.
However, MBS Director General, Davlin Chokazinga, said the bureau is searching for details on Africa Fertiliser Company to send to the committee.
Chokazinga said the truth will come out because the information MBS has is that Africa Fertiliser was just storing the fertilizer in the warehouse of the local company.
“The bureau will provide everything the committee wants to know about this matter. If Rab Processors Limited is lying about the Africa Fertiliser Company, we will find out. But what we know now is that the fertiliser did not belong to Rab [Processors],” Chokazinga said.
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