Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has urged the new Youth Employment Agency (YEA) CEO Malik Basintale to avoid renewing a controversial sanitation workers’ contract with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, citing longstanding concerns about fund allocation and worker welfare.
The appeal comes as the agency prepares to review its partnership with the waste management company following the contract’s expiration in September 2024.
At the heart of the dispute is a payment structure that allocated 850 Ghana cedis monthly per worker, with only 250 cedis reaching sanitation staff while Zoomlion retained 600 cedis as management fees. Awuni described this arrangement as exploitative, noting that many sweepers lacked basic benefits like transportation allowances, health insurance, and pension contributions despite performing essential municipal services.
The journalist referenced previous YEA leadership’s attempts to reform the partnership, including a 2018 headcount that allegedly revealed discrepancies in Zoomlion’s claimed workforce of 45,000 sweepers. Former CEO Kofi Agyepong had suspended the contract before leaving office, leaving the new administration to determine its future. Awuni emphasized that district assemblies already possess the capacity to directly supervise sanitation workers without intermediary contractors.
Transparency concerns persist regarding the program’s implementation. A 2022 letter from Accra Metropolitan Assembly CEO Elizabeth Sackey revealed the YEA could not verify the number of sweepers assigned to the capital, raising questions about accountability in the partnership. Current and former workers report payment delays exceeding twelve months, though government disbursements to Zoomlion reportedly continued during this period.
The appeal extends beyond Basintale to include young NDC appointees like Osman Abdulai Ayariga and Eric Edem Agbana, framing the decision as a test of their commitment to equitable youth employment policies. Awuni clarified that his critique targets systemic issues rather than Zoomlion CEO Joseph Siaw-Agyepong personally, while warning that contract renewal could perpetuate financial irregularities.
As the YEA reviews its sanitation strategy, the outcome may signal the government’s approach to public-private partnerships in social welfare programs. With President Mahama’s administration emphasizing anti-corruption measures, this decision could set important precedents for accountability in youth employment initiatives. The situation underscores ongoing challenges in balancing efficient service delivery with fair labor practices in Ghana’s public sector contracting.
