Government has retrenched all Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) Limited effective from this coming Wednesday February 1.
This will swell the country’s unemployment levels as President Lazarus Chakweras administration has failed to manage the economy despite his election promise to create 1 million jobs.
In a staff circular which has no name but a signature and title Management, it says the skeleton staff will recieve their letters of appointment by 6th of January 2023.
The circular states that the last working day for all the 4 687 employees is Tuesday 31 January 2023 and all of them will recieve their letters.
“Govermment has committed to paying the following within the required period: January 2023 salaries, pensions and retrenchment package,” reads the circular.
The firing of all the staff marks the end to am institution that has consumed billions of taxpayers and abused by politicians from successive ruling parties.
The Tonse Alliance regime was responsible for the disappearance of 38,000 tons of maize and its board over paid itself allowances.
Initially, the corporation indicated that it would only fire 3,122 employees out of the 4,687 workers on its books.
Notice for retrenchment was sent on September 16 2022, titled ‘Notice of Intention to Carry Out Retrenchment at Admarc Limit and promised that it will be in phased manner.
The circular talks of total retrenchment.
The Admarc which audit found has ghost workers is estimated to have had a wage bill of around K750 million per month, when it only makes just about K50 million.
In August 2022, fired Minister of Agricultre Lobin Lowe closed Admarc claiming due to high levels of corruption, theft and professional negligence.
Lowe himself was fired after it transpired that his Ministry paid a butchery K750 million for fertliser. The money has not be recovered.
