RC orders arrest of cooperative body leaders

Kibaha. Coast Regional Commissioner Evarist Ndikilo has ordered regional Police commander Jonathan Shana to arrest 10 leaders of the Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (Amcos) who allegedly sabotage cashew nut production.

According to him, the leaders are accused of cheating on the quality and weight of cashews that get stored in their warehouses -- supplied by farmers under the warehouse receipting system, an act that is against the law.

The order was made at a meeting attended by different cashew board members from the region, stakeholders from region’s district commissioners’ offices and cashew nuts experts.

“These cooperatives are claimed to cheat on the quality and quantity of cashew in order to gain an illicit income. All leaders of the first ten Amcos should be held and interrogated to get the truth as to why cashews stored in their warehouses are not of the same quality standard before and after verification by customers,” he said.

He added that leaders that should be held responsible are the chairpersons, secretaries, clerks and warehouse owners for Mchukuwi, Jaribu, Mpakani, Kibaoni, Luaruke,Mlanze, Mahege,Tuamke,Mchukwi in Kibiti District and Misugusugu in Kibaha District.

Previously the general manager of Amcos in Pwani Region, Mr Seif Upara, in his statement said cashew customers were now few because most were not satisfied with the standard produced which gives a difficult time to farmers.

“When experts verify the standard of cashews for the first time, they find them of a good quality, but during payment the same cashews are detected to be of a low standard. This is discouraging to our customers,” he said.

However, the district commissioner of Mkuranga District, Mr Filberto Sanga, said he will act on the RC’s orders by arresting the suspects and then let the legal procedure take its course.