MPs warn of food crisis as row escalates
What you need to know:
- Lawmaker says freezing of board bank accounts could hamper fertiliser supply
A parliamentary committee has warned that the crisis at the National Cereals and Produce Board could result in food shortages in the country.
The Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee meets on Monday to agree on whether to summon top government officials over the freezing of NCPB accounts that has paralysed its activities.
The team’s chairman, Mr Ayub Savula, said the committee was contemplating summoning Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgey, permanent secretary Romano Kiome and NCPB managing director Gideon Misoi “so that we can discuss and resolve the issue”.
“This is a serious matter that could negatively impact the country’s food security. We cannot play around with it,” said Mr Savula, who is the Lugari MP.
On Wednesday, Prof Misoi said NCPB bank accounts had been frozen after an arbitrator ruled that a company that had sued the cereals board be paid Sh500 million in damages.
The move, he said, was to blame for the delay in the distribution of subsidised fertiliser to farmers.
On Sunday, Mr Savula said his team would look into the bottom of the crisis facing NCPB and make a report to Parliament for adoption or rejection.
