Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
CTPD Acting executive director Isaac Mwaipopo
The Centre for Trade policy and Development has called on government to state its position in the Malawi maize gate scandal.
CTPD Acting Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo tells QTV News in a statement that his organization finds the revelations shared by Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Development citing Zambia’s President and the Minister of Agriculture to have been at the centre of the deal quite worrying and calls for the government of Zambia to explain to the public what really transpired as this is a transaction that was actually done at a time that Zambia had banned the exportation of maize.
Mr. Mwaipopo says the fact that Malawi has instituted an inquiry in to the case indicates that there could have been under hand methods in procuring the maize from Zambia.
He says it will be wise for the Zambian Government to also come out and explain to the public what transpired as the nation knows that maize is Zambia’s staple food and anything that concerns the commodity, concerns every citizen.
Mr. Mwaipopo further calls for enhanced transparency in all government procurement process as this is key towards enhancing investor confidence.
He explains that the ongoing maize scam has the potential to discourage private sector investments into the agriculture sector.