Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has today presented a petition asking Parliament to suspend relevant standing orders in order to deliberate and pass emergency Maize Bill .
The petition which was presented at Parliament Building was received by Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Agriculture.
In his remarks, Executive Director for CDEDI Sylvester Namiwa said that through the bill, government should engage IIIovo and Salima Sugar Companies and other large scale commercial farmers to grow Maize through irrigation.
He added that those in the lakeshore districts should be provided with solar pumps or canals to grow Maize.
“The demand follows revelation that the country is a fatal disaster -in – waiting. The country has maize that will only last for two months if it were to be supplied nationwide,” he explained.
He said currently the price of maize is K35,000 per 50KG bag in the central region while in the southern region the same bag is being sold at K50,000.
He then asked the Members of Parliament (MPs) through the petition that they should come up with proper solution to the issue because Malawians who put the MPs in their seats are suffering
On his part, Chairperson of Agriculture Committee Sammer Suleman described Namiwa as a fearless man and encouraged him to continue supporting Malawians.
He pledged to discuss the matter in the August House considering that almost every Member of Parliament in the house is facing the same crisis and he will not allow the issue to be politicized.
