The controversial Zoomlion contract must never be resurrected.
That is the passionate and urgent plea investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has made to Malik Basintale, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). And he is absolutely right.
For far too long, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, fronted by its CEO, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has allegedly milked the Ghanaian state dry through shady and exploitative contracts cloaked in the noble-sounding language of sanitation and employment.
Now, with the old contract expired and a new administration in power, Ghana has a narrow window to do what should have been done years ago — end this bleeding of public funds and restore dignity to our youth.
In a candid open letter to Basintale, Awuni did not hold back as he took direct aim at the previous agreement.
“I’m referring to the contract that allocates 850 cedis per month to the sweepers, but stipulates that 600 should go to Zoomlion while the sweepers go home with 250 cedis a month. Don’t resurrect that deal, please.”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
That so-called deal is nothing short of economic bondage, and the fact that it was ever signed in the first place is a national embarrassment.
Awuni pulled no punches when he described the consequences of renewing the contract. “Whoever signs a new contract with Zoomlion to manage the sweepers is either a thief or a fool.”
Ghana deserves leadership with integrity, not another round of political complicity in broad daylight robbery.
Zoomlion’s Grip On State Funds Obscene
According to Manasseh Awuni, Zoomlion’s contract with YEA — in place since 2006 — mandates the company to manage sanitation workers provided by the Youth Employment Agency and various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The government, relying solely on unverifiable figures provided by Zoomlion, paid the company 850 cedis per worker, of which only 250 cedis reaches the poor workers.
The rest — a whopping 600 cedis — goes to Zoomlion as “management fees.” No health insurance; No transport allowance; No pension plan.
It’s an exploitation model so morally bankrupt that even previous appointees under the Akufo-Addo government, such as YEA CEO Kofi Baah Agyepong, tried to shut it down.
Board minutes from October 2022 quoted him as saying YEA lacked “data to authenticate any claims from the service provider [Zoomlion], including the number of beneficiaries at post and working.”
When the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) asked for a list of workers in their area, YEA couldn’t provide one, yet payments continued.
“The government pays Zoomlion in Accra based on the claim of numbers Zoomlion presents for payment. For a long time, the claim has been that 45,000 people are doing the work. The government does not know and cannot verify this figure, but they pay Zoomlion.”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
So what exactly is the government paying for? Ghost workers? Or are taxpayers simply paying protection money to a politically connected company that has entrenched itself in Ghana’s political establishment?
This is not new. As far back as 2013, Awuni’s GYEEDA investigation exposed how fraudulent and inflated sanitation contracts were signed under President John Mahama’s watch.
Back then, the NPP opposition accused Mahama of benefiting personally, hence the reluctance to cancel them. Yet, when the NPP took power, they doubled down on the very same practices.
So who’s fooling whom?
YEA Boss Charged Not To Renew Fraudulent Contract
Accordingly, Manasseh Awuni urged YEA CEO Malik Basintale to stand firm and reject any attempt to revive the corrupt deal, just as his predecessor did, pointing out that there’s currently no binding contract with Zoomlion, and it should stay that way.
Manasseh’s warning is not just timely — it is essential: “If any contract is signed, you will be held responsible.”
Ghana’s youth are not pawns in a multi-million cedi scam masquerading as job creation. They deserve more than 250 cedis a month — an insult to their dignity, and far below the minimum wage.
If indeed the government wants to build a country that works for everyone, then this is the line in the sand.
The Youth Employment Agency, local assemblies, and sanitation departments have enough capacity to manage sweepers directly. They do not need a middleman that siphons off 70% of the funds and leaves workers unpaid for over a year, as documented in 2024.
Most importantly, Ghanaians must not fall into the familiar trap of using ‘Elder’ Joseph Siaw Agyepong’s religious ties as a shield to overlook the deep-rooted corruption at the heart of this system.
“I don’t write this because I hate Joseph Siaw Agyepong, the Zoomlion CEO, who is a respected elder of THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST… The poor sweepers should not be treated like slaves.”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
Religion cannot be a smokescreen for corruption. And public officials cannot claim ignorance when board minutes, intercepted letters, and investigative documentaries are all available in the public domain.
Suppose the new YEA CEO signs a new contract, in that case, he will join the hall of shame of Ghanaian politicians and public servants who prioritized party loyalty and personal gain over the interests of the people. It’s not too late to choose a different path.
“Ask the assemblies to supervise the sweepers. The waste management departments of the assemblies have more qualified staff and numbers than the Zoomlion district officers.”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
Therefore, it is imperative that the government and relevant agencies take this call seriously and prioritize internal management of sanitation, particularly in the capital.
Outsourcing the task to Zoomlion is not just fiscally irresponsible — it represents a profound moral failure that will ultimately burden the nation.
READ ALSO: India Suspends Indus Water Treaty
