President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that the 19-year contract between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and the Sanitation Company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, will not be renewed after its expiration.
This decision comes as a response to a petition to the President by ace investigative journalist, Manasseh Azuri Awuni, who had shed some light on the alleged persistent corruption and mismanagement associated with the said agreement.
The decision by President John Dramani Mahama, was communicated in a letter dated June 11, 2025, and signed by the Decretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama.
Excerpts of the letter read, “His Excellency the President acknowledges the serious concerns raised in your letter and responds as follows: 1. Expiration of Contract: The contract between Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited (Zoomlion) has expired and will not be renewed.”
This development comes after Manasseh Azure Awuni’s relentless pursuit, spanning 12 years, to expose alleged irregularities within the contract.
Manasseh Azure's first investigation on Zoomlion was in 2013, where he detailed substantial discrepancies, including the paltry fees paid to sweepers. Under the contract’s terms, GHS 850 was allocated per sweeper, with Zoomlion reportedly retaining GHS 600 and paying sweepers a mere GHS 250 monthly.
This disparity resulted in public outrage, thereby calling for reforms.
Further concerns raised by Manasseh included Zoomlion’s near-monopoly in sanitation contracts and their practice of charging interest for delayed YEA payments, which amounted to GHS 90 million in 2024.
The YEA itself had previously flagged issues with verification, noting in 2018 that its headcount showed 38,884 sweepers on the ground, contradicting Zoomlion’s claim of 45,000 paid for monthly.
Read President Mahama's Full Letter Below
