President John Dramani Mahama has officially ended the decades-old contract between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited. This bold move comes amid mounting evidence of financial discrepancies and unfair labor practices raised by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni over the past 12 years.
In a letter dated June 11, 2025, the President confirmed that the government will not renew the contract, citing its expiration and the need for a more transparent approach. Under the previous arrangement, Zoomlion received GHS 850 per sweeper monthly but paid only GHS 250 to the actual workers, sparking widespread criticism.
Additional concerns included:
Alleged inflation of sweeper numbers: Zoomlion claimed 45,000 sweepers, while a YEA audit confirmed only 38,884.
The company’s near-monopoly over sanitation contracts.
Charging interest on delayed payments by YEA, which amounted to GHS 90 million in 2024.
Former YEA CEO Kofi Baah Agyepong had earlier pushed for this termination, asserting that the Agency could manage the sanitation module independently. President Mahama has now pledged that funds previously allocated to Zoomlion will be redirected to improve sweepers’ wages directly, ensuring better accountability and dignity for Ghana’s sanitation workers.