By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation is urging the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) not to cancel its contract with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a major waste management company.
This follows recent calls by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who accused Zoomlion of mistreating workers and failing to follow its contract terms.
However, the Chairman of the Committee and MP for Nkwanta North, John Kwabena Bless Oti, disagrees. During a visit to the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant on April 24, he said the committee will invite the journalist to formally present his evidence before any decision is made.
Mr. Oti warned that cancelling the contract could lead to thousands of job losses, as Zoomlion employs many Ghanaians under the sanitation model. He proposed creating a special fund to support sanitation and waste management across the country.
He also assured that the government plans to pay all debts owed to YEA workers and the Jospong Group, which owns Zoomlion.
“Any amount owed Zoomlion will be paid. The current budget includes GH¢13 billion to clear arrears,” he added.
The Committee’s Ranking Member and MP for Achiase, Kofi Ahenkorah Marfo, also supported the Chairman’s remarks. He said they are committed to setting up a sanitation fund and ensuring transparency in its use.
The Committee praised the Jospong Group for creating jobs and improving sanitation in Ghana.
At the same event, Eugene Amo Asamoah, Business Development Manager at the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant, said managing waste is expensive.
He noted that Ghana produces over a million tonnes of plastic waste every year, but only 2 to 5 percent is recycled. He called for the government to pay four years of unpaid debts and increase investment in recycling efforts.
He stressed that financial support is key to improving sanitation and protecting the environment.
