GMB gets new boss

Markets
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has announced the appointment of Lawrence Jasi as acting general manager, replacing Albert Mandizha whose contract was not renewed after it expired on November 30 2014.

THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has announced the appointment of Lawrence Jasi as acting general manager, replacing Albert Mandizha whose contract was not renewed after it expired on November 30 2014. BATANAI MUTASA OWN CORRESPONDENT Jasi was GMB’s deputy general manager in charge of operations.

“The board and entire GMB staff extend their gratitude to Mandizha for his loyalty and dedication during the seven-year period he was at the helm of GMB,” board chairman Charles Chikaura said in a statement yesterday.

Mandizha had been asked to continue at the helm of the troubled parastatal while the board sought a suitable candidate to take over the reins.

Jasi takes over at a time GMB is drowning in liquidity bottlenecks that have have been largely blamed for its extraordinary inefficiency.

In December 2014, the GMB reportedly ordered all its 3 600 employees to go on a compulsory two-week long unpaid leave each month, starting this month, raising concerns about its financial wellbeing.

The national silo has also been struggling to clear debts for grain delivered in 2014 after the Finance ministry advised farmers that outstanding obligations to them for grain deliveries now stood at $52,4 million and would be paid over time as there were no funds.