Accra, Ghana – Zoomlion Ghana Limited has categorically denied allegations that it faces restrictions from the World Bank, asserting that it remains fully eligible to undertake World Bank-funded projects. The company’s management clarified that since its removal from debarment in September 2015, it has continued to secure and execute international contracts, including those funded by the World Bank and its affiliates.
This clarification follows a report from a local daily in Monrovia regarding Zoomlion’s two-year debarment in 2013, during the implementation of the World Bank-funded Emergency Monrovia Urban Sanitation Project in Liberia.
The Managing Director of Zoomlion, Mrs. Gloria Opoku Anti, explained that the company has been in operation for 19 years and has made significant contributions to sanitation standards, not just in Ghana but across the African continent. “We have worked tirelessly in several African countries, delivering unparalleled waste management services that have transformed communities and improved public health,” she stated.
“We have no issues with the World Bank and continue to engage in projects financed by the Bank and its subsidiaries,” she continued.
Mrs. Opoku Anti emphasized that immediately after removal from debarment, Zoomlion received invitations from several international donors to bid for projects across Africa. “This is a testament to the confidence the global community has in our capabilities and integrity.”
The company pointed to its successful execution of an International Development Association (IDA)-funded project, which demonstrates its continued working relationship with World Bank affiliates. Zoomlion was contracted to decommission the Kpone Landfill site in Ghana under the IDA-funded Second Urban Environmental Sanitation Project (UESP2). Additionally, on June 1, 2020, it secured the second phase of the IDA-funded contract for an 18-month project, which has been successfully completed.
To further clarify its position, this publication obtained a letter dated October 1, 2015, officially confirming Zoomlion’s eligibility for World Bank-funded projects. The letter, signed by Jonathan Shapiro, Integrity Compliance Officer at the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Office, explicitly states:
“Zoomlion Ghana Limited and its released affiliates are currently eligible to bid on and be considered for World Bank Group-funded and/or administered projects. Effective September 23, 2015, the sanctioned entities’ names have been removed from the World Bank Group Debarment List.”
The letter also instructed that any inquiries regarding Zoomlion’s eligibility should be directed to the World Bank’s Integrity Compliance Office for verification.
Zoomlion, whose parent company is Jospong Group Limited, has played a major role in improving waste management in Liberia, particularly through the World Bank-financed Emergency Monrovia Urban Sanitation (EMUS) project when Madame Mary Broh was Mayor of Monrovia.
In 2012, the company handed over a modern engineered landfill in Whein Town to the Liberian government to support Monrovia’s waste collection and disposal initiatives. Under the $24.9 million EMUS project, Zoomlion also built two transfer stations, landfill cells, and three weighbridges, which greatly enhanced waste management infrastructure.
Beyond infrastructure, the company has trained waste collectors in various capacities, contributing to operational efficiency in waste management across Monrovia and its surrounding areas. It also distributed 240-liter waste bins to communities, encouraging proper disposal and reducing pollution.
Zoomlion’s efforts have significantly strengthened sanitation services in Monrovia, improving waste collection, particularly during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. Many credit this work with reducing environmental hazards and promoting cleaner urban spaces.
Beyond Ghana, Zoomlion and its parent company, the Jospong Group, have expanded operations across Africa, executing large-scale waste management and sanitation projects.
In Nigeria, Zoomlion Nigeria Limited is undertaking a €40 million waste management project in Lagos, in collaboration with German firms FIMA Industries GmbH and FAUN Umwelttechnik GmbH. The project, backed by Euler Hermes and Oddo BHF Bank, aims to establish three advanced waste treatment plants, projected to cut approximately 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. Over the next two years, the Jospong Group plans to inject an additional $200 million into Lagos State’s waste management infrastructure.
In Uganda, Zoomlion is partnering with the Ugandan government to decommission the Kiteezi Landfill, a 39-acre waste site near Kampala that tragically exploded, killing 21 people. The partnership will also involve investments in integrated composting, recycling systems, and transfer stations to improve sanitation in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
In Rwanda, the Jospong Group recently secured a bid to construct a Waste Water and Faecal Treatment Plant, a project funded by the African Development Bank. This initiative aligns with the company’s mission to implement environmentally sustainable sanitation solutions across Africa.
Zoomlion says its operational model prioritizes community empowerment and local job creation. The company partners with local waste collectors, equipping them with tricycles and other logistical support to enhance efficiency in waste collection.
“This is what we seek to do wherever we go,” Mrs. Anti-emphasised, highlighting that Zoomlion’s projects are designed to strengthen local economies while improving sanitation infrastructure.
Zoomlion has also diversified its operations, embracing climate-friendly initiatives in line with global environmental goals. The company follows a “360-degree waste management” approach, integrating waste collection, recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy recovery projects.
In Ghana, Zoomlion has established 20 Integrated Compost & Recycling Plants with cutting-edge technology from European firms like KOMPTECH and LUBO. Additionally, it has constructed seven liquid waste treatment plants, 16 plastic waste treatment plants, and 15 medical waste treatment plants, totaling 58 waste treatment facilities across the country.
With nearly two decades of experience in the waste management sector, Zoomlion remains one of Africa’s leading sanitation companies. “We have worked tirelessly across the continent, delivering unparalleled waste management services that have transformed communities and improved public health,” Mrs. Anti stated.
Zoomlion has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Liberian people to help maintain clean and green cities by successfully working alongside local and international partners, as well as trusted local Liberian actors in sanitation and waste management.
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