GOVERNMENT has appealed to milling companies to avoid acts of blackmail by creating artificial shortages of mealie meal.
Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga said milling companies should avoid faking shortages of mealie meal but instead dialogue with the Government whenever there was a problem.
Mr Kamanga said during the launch of a Superior Milling retail outlet in Kwacha East yesterday that it was unfortunate that some milling companies were in the habit of faking shortages of mealie meal thereby creating unnecessary anxiety to all stakeholders.
“I would like to appeal to Superior milling to be different from other milling companies that are in the habit of blackmailing Government by creating artificial shortages of mealie meal. It is important to dialogue whenever there is a problem than to fake shortages of the basic commodities,” he said.
Mr Kamanga said the new depot would create labour and make the basic food items readily available at affordable prices for the community.
He said it was gratifying that Superior milling would in the next maize marketing season, purchase maize direct from small scale farmers and traders in areas where they have depot to protect farmers from briefcase businessmen.
The District Commissioner also commended superior milling and its brand of ‘mealile’ for being readily available in communities by reducing transport costs and inconvenience to the local community in purchasing their staple food.
And Superior milling managing director Peter Cottan said the company intends to purchase maize from small scale farmers on the Copperbelt province and pay cash through designated commercial banks close to the buying depots.
Mr Cottan said Superior milling was looking after the welfare of the consumer, the farmer and working with the Government as an association level to ensure food security in the country.
He said Kwacha East outlet was the 16th depot on the Copperbelt province and that the company intends to offer employment opportunities to the local community.
“We will be giving employment to people from the local community and making available our staple food at affordable prices in different convenient pack sizes, he said.
Mr Cottan said the company intends to conduct strategic corporate social responsibility and sponsor some major sporting events.
This is the same Cottan who used to be the MD for National Milling. The same hyena in a sheep skin now. We will wait and see if he will live by his ‘born again’ pledge to put the consumers interest first.
Peter Cottan is probably the second best manager who get involved with Zambians. I hope Superior Milling will give National Milling and GBM milling best competitions… Lets see who be knocked down!
Superior milling has been one of the success stories of a DBZ funded project owned by an indigenous Zambian. Cottan can be crafty sometimes so Gershom Mulenga should watch out. Cottan used National Milling funds to push his personal agenda with Esther Phiri. That is why Esther’s sponsorship ended with Peter’s departure from the company.
Dull chap!You thionk Mr.Cotton knows that if you want to be rich employ yourself.
He is not stealing government funds like the majorty in PF.
Exactly!You neglect farming and now you are already issuing threats.Did you provide the farming implements?Did you buy all the harvest.You want to run the country like the way monkeys jump from tree to tree.Just own up you have failed to run the affairs of this country