The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has praised Zoomlion Ghana Limited for its unmatched contributions to sanitation infrastructure in West Africa.
His remarks came amid a strategic collaboration between the government and the waste management company to tackle Ghana’s growing waste crisis, particularly plastic pollution.
Speaking on Adom TV in Accra on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the minister highlighted Zoomlion’s state-of-the-art facilities, emphasizing their role in positioning Ghana as a regional leader in sustainable waste management.
“The kind of sanitation infrastructure that Zoomlion has invested in—both for municipal solid and liquid waste—is unparalleled. Their robust recycling and waste management plants are a game-changer,” he stated.
Ahmed Ibrahim further commended Zoomlion’s nationwide network of modern recycling plants, faecal waste management systems, and sewage-to-resource technologies, which transform waste into compost and charcoal. These innovations, he noted, are in line with Ghana’s 2016 ban on ocean dumping of faecal waste, a policy introduced under former President John Dramani Mahama to prevent hazardous coastal pollution.
“Before Zoomlion, faecal waste flowed freely into the sea, causing deadly diseases like cholera. Their infrastructure is now our lifeline,” he emphasized.
Despite acknowledging Zoomlion’s impact, the minister raised concerns over a crippling GHS 1.2 billion government debt owed to the company, inherited from the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
“This debt remains a significant challenge, but we are working closely with Zoomlion to ensure Ghana’s waste management sector remains effective,” he stated.
He stressed the government’s commitment to stronger partnerships with private waste management firms, urging Zoomlion to remain steadfast in its waste infrastructure transformation agenda.
The minister also linked recent cholera outbreaks in coastal cities such as Cape Coast, Winneba, and Takoradi (October 24, 2023) to ongoing gaps in public sanitation education. He called for intensified advocacy against reckless waste disposal, particularly in water bodies essential for domestic and agricultural use.
“Zoomlion’s work goes beyond sweeping our streets—it’s about protecting public health and ensuring environmental sustainability,” he asserted, calling for stronger public-private partnerships to drive Ghana’s sanitation agenda forward.