Zoomlion’s YEA sweeping contract had been in existence since 2006
President John Dramani Mahama has discontinued the contract between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
According to a reports by manassehazure.com, on June 12, 2025, the president said the government will increase the fees to be paid to sweepers, arising from the “probable cost savings” from discontinuing the Zoomlion contract.
The contract had been in existence since 2006.
The president was said to have announced this in a letter to investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, who petitioned him to discontinue the Zoomlion contract detailing, with evidence, corruption and mismanagement under the contract.
The president’s letter, dated June 11, 2025, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, said, “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,” Mahama was quoted to have said in the letter.
Under the terms of the YEA-Zoomlion contract, GH¢850 was allocated to each sweeper but Zoomlion, kept GH¢600 and paid the sweepers GH¢250 a month, according to the contract.
Zoomlion also charges interest if the YEA delays in paying the company for three months.
In 2024, the company charged an interest of GH¢90 million.
The letter addressed some issues raised about Zoomlion’s contract, including paltry fees paid to sweepers and other sanitation contracts in Ghana, over which Zoomlion almost enjoys an absolute monopoly.
After waging a years-long campaign, formidable Ghanaian investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has succeeded in convincing the new Ghanaian government to subject sanitation contracts to competitive bidding. This is a VERY SERIOUS sign that governance activists could get… pic.twitter.com/JoVTUkcg6w
— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) June 12, 2025
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