By SYLVESTER MWALE –

THE Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has failed to recover more than K740,000 from MRI, which was an over payment for the supply of maize seed after the invasion of army worms in 2013.
The latest Auditor General’s report reveals that the DMMU contracted the seed distribution company to supply the seed at K10,772 per tonne.
However, the report says that MRI claimed for the supply of 921.44 metric tonnes valued at K10,666,402 at the rate of K11,576 per tonne resulting in an overpayment of K740,727.
“As of November 2014, the amount had not been recovered from the supplier,” states the report on the Accounts of the Republic.
The DMMU had apparently engaged five seed suppliers to deliver 3,755.92 metric tonnes of maize seed at a cost of K32,293,600 to the farmers who were affected by army worms during the 2012/2013 rainy season in various provinces.
As of end last year, the suppliers had been paid amounts totalling K19,989,663.
The contract between the DMMU and the seed suppliers had indicated that the purchaser must ensure that the maize seed supplied be subjected to pre-testing before it could be distributed to the various destinations throughout the selected districts.
However, out of 162 metric tonnes of maize worth K1,392,884 supplied by the MRI to Chipata District, 23.35 metric tonnes costing K198,056 were infected with weevils and large grain borer at the time of delivery.
The report notes that no replacement or refund was made for the infected seed by the company as of November last year.
“In addition, 138.65 metric tonnes costing K1,194,828 had no distribution records, making it difficult to ascertain whether they were received by the intended beneficiaries,” it says.
The report reveals that 14.08 metric tonnes of maize seed amounting to K121,060 delivered to Choma during the period of army worms could not be verified as distributed to vulnerable people as no distribution records were availed for audit.
Similarly, 17.4 metric tonnes of the consignment worth about K150,000 was ordered during the same period by the Lusaka DMMU for distribution in Ndola.
However, records provided by the distributor, Ndola Co-operative Union, revealed that only 6.22 metric tonnes of maize seed costing K53,480 were distributed, leaving a balance of 11.180 tonnes of maize seed costing K96,126 undistributed.