Over hundred by 50 kilogrammes bags of maize purchased by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) might waste away due to the damaged grain bags that are tearing up.

ZANIS reports that more than hundred bags stored at Chaulu depot in Mpulungu District could go to waste due to damaged grain bags that have opened up and letting the maize out.

An inspection by Northern Province Minister Leonard Mbao revealed that bags of maize secured with tarpaulins are tearing up and the grain is pouring out.

And Mr Mbao has questioned the criteria used to certify the quality of grain bags by the FRA.

Mr Mbao, who is also Mpulungu area Member of Parliament, described the situation is unacceptable and a drain on government resources.

He said a thorough investigation needs to be conducted to establish how the FRA could be supplied with substandard grain bags.

The Minister said despite the crop marketing exercise having being hampered by a shortage of empty grain bags it is saddening that the quality is also compromised.

Mr Mbao toured selected satellite depots to check on resumption of the sale of maize which was already delivered by farmers to the buying points.

Public health Inspectors have suspended operations and mining activities at Sezic Resources Company Limited due to non-compliance with the occupational health and safety measures.

This came to light yesterday when the public health Inspectors from Ministry of Health and the Council led by acting District Director of Health, Terrence Chookwe carried out a routine inspection to ascertain whether the company was complying with the requirements of the occupational health and safety act in Sinazongwe district.

The Health Inspectors found that workers at the mine were working without wearing complete personal protective equipment such as work suits, safety shoes, gloves, respirators among them.

It was further discovered that the company has not employed a safety officer and environmental officer to help ensure safety and environmental standards are followed.

Speaking after the inspection of the mine, Sinazongwe Health Promotions Officer Owen Malao suspended the mines’ operations indefinitely until the company meet the safety requirements.

“The decision by health Inspectors to suspend operations and mining activities at Sezic Resources Company Limited is due to findings after inspection such as lack of toilets, safe clean drinking water for employees, no personal protective equipment provided and non-implementation of environmental measures to avert the negative impacts of mining activities in the mine and surrounding villages”, he said.

He said the suspension of the mine is in accordance with the laws of the country under occupational health and safety Act.

Mr Malao said further inspection will be conducted to check if the company will follow all the safety and environmental requirements, upon which the company can resume operations.

And one of the employees who spoke to ZANIS said the company pays them K25 per day and are subjected to work without getting leave or observing public holidays.

Mr Kallen Sikaonga narrated that workers are given K6 for lunch and if an employee misses work for a day, they are fired instantly.

“The company is not implementing the minimum wage Statutory Instrument and other labour laws hence subjecting workers to harsh conditions” he said.

And Chipo Munkombwe an employee of the mine said in an interview that they were paid their money on the table instead of using bank accounts which results in non-contribution to the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA).

“We fear for our lives because we are not even contributing to NAPSA and our conditions of work are very poor,” he said.

Mr Munkombwe disclosed that every time authorities such as Public Health Inspectors and other relevant authorities visit the mine site, workers are told to hide or sent home to prevent them from interacting with authorities.

He said this had disadvantaged them because they have not had a chance to report their work conditions.

“We have no Union representation and therefore we are appealing to relevant authorities to come to our aid, authorities such as labour office, occupation health and safety institute, Public Health Inspectors and others to help us so that our health and lives of our families could be protected,” he said.

Meanwhile efforts to get a comment from Sezic Resources Company Limited Manager proved futile as he was reported out of the site.

The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has expressed optimism that the 2022 National Budget will address the high cost of production in the farming business.

ZNFU spokesperson Calvin Kaleyi said the union is calling on government to look into the burden of taxes and fees to farmers which are not compliant with the risk of farming business.

Mr Kaleyi stated that there is a lot of labour for local farmers to be competitive in their business.

Mr Kaleyi made the remarks after officials from ZNFU and Ministry of Finance and National Planning held a consultative meeting early this week.

He explained that during the meeting ZNFU Director Adam Gordon-Strong bemoaned the high cost of production and work needed to be done for a local farmer to remain competitive.

“Director Adam Gordon-Strong who chaired the meeting at the ZNFU showcased how administratively a farmer is burdened with taxes and fees which if he is not compliant, it risked the farming business. He further bemoaned the high cost of production and that work needed to be done in that area if local farmers are to be competitive,” he said.

Mr Kaleyi recollected that ZNFU President Jervis Zimba together with farmers from Mkushi and Chisamba also held a successful meeting with Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.

He pointed out that during the meeting the Union presented the immediate issues requiring the Ministers’ attention including the Union’s 2022 National Budget submission.

Mr Kaleyi said the meeting was also used to highlight a fresh issue concerning loans obtained from the COVID-19 mitigating fund and the negative consequences of the kwacha appreciation which has resulted in the loans ballooning upwards in dollar terms because of the exchange rate impact.

“Other issues highlighted were the budget submissions and arising from this the Union met with the Technical Team from the Ministry of Finance handling consultations for the 2022 National Budget yesterday October 7, 2021,” he stressed.

He further pointed out that the Minister of Finance and National Planning made it clear that he was eager to consider solutions that involve private sector participation.

Mr Kaleyi told Zanis that Dr Musokotwane asked the union to submit detailed proposals on the future of FISP, the eradication of Livestock diseases including the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and how to resolve the mounting debt for farmers who borrowed from the COVID-19 fund.