Staff at the financially-struggling Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) say they have gone two months without pay despite government pledge to pay them while the parastatal undergoes a structural review.

One of the members of staff, who opted for anonymity, on Monday said despite the Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe sending all the 3122 members of staff on paid leave on August 31, the parastatal has not paid them.

Some of the Admarc staff outside the
head office in Blantyre

Said the Admarc source: “We have stayed for two months without pay. When we inquired, they told us the August cheques went missing as the officer responsible went home following the order with nobody to hand over to while the September cheques have not been approved.”

Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson Gracian Lungu on Monday acknowledged that the staff was last paid in July 2022, but assured that August salaries are being prepared and Treasury will be funding the September salaries soon.

He said: “The delay is because Admarc sent the request for September salaries late due to the sending on leave of employees.

“The issue of Admarc not remitting pensions will be answered by Admarc management as that isn’t a ministry issue. It has to be managed at management level.”

Lungu further said Admarc, by design, is supposed to foot salaries for its staff. However, he said because of mismanagement, the company is relying on handouts from Treasury. Lowe sent the entire staff at Admarc on paid leave in August as part of an exercise to redefine its functions to serve Malawians better.

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