Corruption allegations arise over early distribution of Urea fertilizer
Some companies who bid for the supply of top dressing Urea fertilizer for the 2023/2024 Agro season have expressed shock at the reports that one of the connected bidders, Alpha commodities, seems to have already secured the tender and started distribution even before preliminary tender results are processed and announced.
The concerned bidders have accused the Ministry of Agriculture of grand corruption and impunity, stating that Agro Minister, Mtolo Phiri and his Permanent Secretary Green Mboozi to categorically state when this contract to Alpha commodities was awarded.
The sources told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that there was an international open bidding tender that closed on 18 April 2023 for a total of 120,380 metric tonnes of Urea fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Program – FISP.
The Agro Ministry Information was that by end of May 2023, the nation would be informed of who the successful bidder was based on the published tender requirements. According to the solicitation documents made available to ZBT, the bidding provided for joint ventures which some foreign and local companies partnered in.
The bidding companies which spoke to ZBT on condition of anonymity stated that they were shocked only to hear that Alpha commodities has already started delivering to some named districts under the same FISP 2023/2024 Agro season.
“When were the contracts awarded, what we know is that the tender is under evaluation”. A check on various media channels as well as at the ministry of Agriculture shows that the tender results have not been announced.
“How do you go about as a government to let Business people to go through a tedious and costly tender process when in the end, you give the tender to related parties? Why waste business people’s financial resources through raising bid security, testing of Urea samples for radiation etc?”.
A check with the Agro Ministry by ZBT has confirmed that the tender process is still under evaluation and that the earliest the ministry would announce is next week if not two weeks from now.
A state owned national TV broadcaster reported and confirmed that Urea fertilizer distribution in Northern and Muchinga provinces has started with over 10,000 metric tonnes already in the region.
The Agro Ministry has been at the center of crisis after crisis with the the previous FISP distribution being chaotic and characterized by corruption allegations, late and no deliverly of Input in some districts.
Corruption allegations have continued to be made on this ministry with no serious follow ups from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The quality of fertilizer delivered has also been questionable as some regions experience low yields on account of sub-standard inputs which are not subjected to quality control tests.
Some observers and Agro experts have questioned the wisdom in distribution of top dressing Urea fertilizer ahead of Compound D basal dressing fertilizer and seed to small scale farmers who may not have proper storage facilities, Some say it’s a clear indication of blatant corruption and a ploy to creat avenues to dump the product on poor and unsuspecting farmers while the government picks up the tab.