Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, has urged government to return sanitation resources to local assemblies rather than sending them to Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a waste management company.
He said that the nation has not been kept clean by the current system, which directs billions of cedis into contracts with Zoomlion.
“The assemblies should be given back their resources to manage sanitation instead of the government channeling the funds to Zoomlion. If the assemblies need services, they can hire groups like BuzStopBoys to help,” he wrote in a social media post on Wednesday, February 19.
He also criticised Zoomlion’s long-standing relationship with successive administrations, claiming that despite millions of dollars being invested in the corporation since the Kufuor period, cleanliness in the nation is still subpar.
“Governments since Kufuor have siphoned billions of cedis from different ministries to multiple Jospong companies (mainly Zoomlion) in the name of sanitation. Many of these contracts are tainted with corruption,” he claimed.
His statements follow a meeting between Zoomlion CEO Elder Joseph Siaw Agyepong and certain bloggers, during which discussions apparently focused on extending help to the BuzStopBoys, a volunteer-led sanitation group.
A Zoomlion representative, seen in a video shared by Manasseh, was heard encouraging bloggers to highlight the upcoming donation.
Manasseh urged the BuzStopBoys to decline the company’s offer, noting that it could be a ploy for Zoomlion to claim credit for their efforts.
“I call on BuzStopBoys to reject Zoomlion’s support. Don’t allow Zoomlion to take credit for your work,” he cautioned.
