Published: July 31, 2025
ACCRA, GHANA – Zoomlion Ghana Limited is back in the news—and not for the right reasons. Renowned investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, whose reporting uncovered widespread corruption tied to the waste management firm, met recently with President John Dramani Mahama and commended him for ending Zoomlion’s controversial 19-year contract with the Youth Employment Agency (YEA).
Awuni took to social media after the meeting at Jubilee House, praising Mahama’s commitment to accountability.
“Yesterday, I had the honor of meeting the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama,” Awuni wrote. “We discussed governance and accountability, and he encouraged me to keep up with my accountability journalism—a job he described as very difficult.”
Awuni said he thanked Mahama for terminating what he described as the “fraudulent” Zoomlion-YEA agreement. He also pressed the former president for updates on the reform of sanitation management—a pledge Mahama had previously made.
“A team is working on a document to guide the government’s decision to give metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) the power to manage their own sanitation,” Awuni noted.
According to Awuni, Mahama also confirmed that his administration had moved to ensure the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) is fully disbursed to local governments. Previously, only 43% of the fund reportedly reached the assemblies, with the remainder diverted to procurements and contracts in Accra—many allegedly benefiting Zoomlion and its affiliates.
“While acknowledging the difficulty in changing the mindset of Ghanaians, including some of his appointees, President Mahama said he was focused on resetting Ghana and helping to strengthen our democracy,” Awuni stated. “I wished him well, and I pray he succeeds. For if he succeeds, Ghana prospers.”
Government insiders say Mahama’s Cabinet made the decisive move to end Zoomlion’s monopoly over waste management services—a dominance that reportedly cost Ghana billions of cedis.
One of the most controversial contracts, covering just two years, was valued at GH¢918 million. It included logistics, management fees and allowances for sanitation workers. Later renewals reportedly pushed the value past GH¢1.2 billion for another two-year cycle.
Under the latest terms, sanitation workers—often referred to as “sweepers”—were expected to receive GH¢1,200 monthly. However, a new agreement was never finalized, as Zoomlion and the YEA reportedly failed to agree on key terms.
Eyes on Liberia
The cancellation of the Ghana deal comes as Zoomlion seeks to expand operations in Liberia. The company has launched a media campaign to promote its services in that country, even as critics raise red flags over its track record.
Civil society groups, concerned citizens, and some government officials in Liberia have expressed alarm over Zoomlion’s bid—pointing to its checkered history and corruption allegations.
In 2013, the World Bank debarred Zoomlion for its involvement in bribery and false invoicing related to a waste management project.
Despite the company’s public relations efforts, backlash over its murky past continues to cloud its ambitions.
Ghanaian Journalist Hails Mahama for Ending Zoomlion Contract
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