The Maravi Post

BLANTYRE—Former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) has urged government to explain why it overspent in the implementation of the 2012/13 farm input subsidized programme when parliament resumes meeting.

Pres Joyce Banda is expected to officially open the 43rd parliamentary session on February 8 in Lilongwe.

UDF parliamentary spokesperson Muhamud Lali said they were looking forward to challenging the government to explain the extra K12 billion spent in the implementation of the programme.

“We are aware that government overspent in the implementation of the programme, as such we are asking the government to tell us why it used more funds.

“Nearly all ministries overspent, but we are particularly interested in FISP. For transparency and accountability's sake, government should explain and gives valid reasons,” he said.

But government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu attributed government’s overspending to the devaluation of the local currency, the Kwacha.

Kunkuyu said government needed extra funds following the devaluation to ably implement and distribute the programme’s farm inputs to all targeted farmers across the country.

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(c) The Maravi Post 2013

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