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Grain Marketing Board 

Conrad Mupesa, Harare Bureau
Farmers have been urged to report all corrupt activities being perpetrated by some Grain Marketing Board (GMB) officials in to the police.

The officials were among other issues taking bribes to facilitate early payment for grain deliveries.

Speaking during a Grain Marketing Board depot open day at Mhangura recently, GMB Northern Region manager Mr Felton Kamambo said Mhangura and Glendale depots had rampant corruption cases due to high grain deliveries.

Mhangura economic activities are anchored on agriculture. “There are a lot of corruption activities taking place at Mhangura GMB depot and other depots countrywide hence the need to have these meetings, which help us overcome the problem,” he said.

“You should not be enticed to pay a bribe so that you get paid early as payment for deliveries is done by the accounts department based in Harare.”

Mr Kamambo said payment for deliveries would be done within three days as a way to reduce challenges faced by farmers.

He urged farmers to desist from side marketing of grain.

The GMB regional loss control officer Mr Brian Severa also urged farmers to shun corruption and use the parastatal’s toll-free numbers to report any corrupt activities.

He said the GMB had also decentralised its operations to reduce time spent by farmers waiting for payment.

“We have since decentralised our operation save for the deposit of payments which are still being done at head office,” Mr Severa said.

The GMB northern region accountant Mr Simangaliso Dube urged farmers to submit correct banking details to speed up deposits.

“We will pay first and faster those farmers that submit correct banking details. So before you hand in your banking details, confirm with your bank that the account is still functional and at the same time the details are correct.

“For farmers using Ecocash facility, make sure that you submit phone number that matches the name of the person delivering the maize.”

He urged farmers to report any glitches in payment so that they are corrected in time.

Makonde acting district crop and livestock production officer Ms Jesilini Katanda also urged the farmers to deliver their maize to GMB.

She also implored the farmers to fill in their Stop Order forms and register for Command Agriculture and the Presidential Input Support Schemes so that they receive inputs in time.

The GMB is moving across its 86 depots countrywide conscientisng farmers on its operations.