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PPC Report on The Drought Relief Distribution Programme and The Humanitarian Assistance (SC 7, 2006)
First report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare
First Session – Sixth Parliament, Parliament of Zimbabwe
Presented to Parliament on May 31, 2006

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Executive summary
This report will detail the findings of the Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on its investigation of the Drought Relief Distribution Programme and the Humanitarian Assistance and at the end give recommendations on the way forward.

Your Committee toured Masvingo Province and part of Matebeleland South Province to ascertain the availability and adequacy of maize in the country’s dry regions that are grain deficiency areas.

At all the Grain Marketing Board (G.M.B) depots toured, there was either very little grain or no grain at all. The rate at which grain is delivered to the districts is erratic, as it can take as long as four to six months before the next delivery. Maize deliveries have also been slowed down by transport problems, because private transporters have not been willing to move maize for the GMB because it offers low rates.

Transporters prefer to offer their services to Non-Governmental Organisations that pay higher rates.

Your Committee also found out that millers who receive subsidised maize from GMB to mill and sell to the people as part of the Drought Relief effort are now profiteering as they are selling maize-meal at exorbitant prices. It was also noted that due to the difficult terrain found in rural areas, beneficiaries were walking very long distances, to the nearest collecting depots in places like Mwenezi and Chiredzi, which results in them having to folk out millions of dollars on transport costs.

Your Committee proffers a number of recommendations in this report and hopes that the responsible authorities will take them seriously.

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