Reject Zoomlion’s support; don’t allow them take credit for your work — Manasseh to BuzStopBoys

Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, has asked the BuzStopBoys, a volunteer-led sanitation group, to turn down any funding from waste management firm Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

In a social media post on Wednesday, February 19, he warned that accepting Zoomlion's aid would allow the firm to take credit for the youth-led group's efforts.

“I call on BuzStopBoys to reject Zoomlion’s support. Don’t allow Zoomlion to take credit for your work,” he wrote.

Manasseh's comments come after a meeting between Zoomlion's CEO, Elder Joseph Siaw Agyepong, and some bloggers, during which discussions apparently focused on offering assistance to the BuzStopBoys.

A Zoomlion official was seen in a video shared by Manasseh urging bloggers to widely publicize the impending donation.

The investigative journalist criticised the long-standing partnership between successive administrations and Zoomlion, claiming that despite billions of cedis invested in sanitation contracts over the years, the country remains unclean.

“Governments since Kufuor have siphoned billions of cedis from different ministries to multiple Jospong companies (mainly Zoomlion) in the name of sanitation. Many of these contracts are tainted with corruption,” he alleged.

He proposed that instead of financing Zoomlion, the government allocate resources to local assemblies and capable organizations such as the BuzStopBoys to oversee sanitation.

“The assemblies should be given back their resources to manage sanitation instead of the government channeling the funds to Zoomlion. If the assemblies need services, they can hire groups like BuzStopBoys to help,” he advised.

The BuzStopBoys, a group of young volunteers, have received commendations for their dedication to cleaning the streets of Accra.