Reform or Refrain: Why the Youth Employment Agency Must Rethink Its Partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Ltd

When the Broom Sweeps Injustice
At the crack of dawn in towns and cities across Ghana, thousands of youth don their reflective vests, armed with brooms and determination. They are the unsung heroes of sanitation—our street sweepers and waste handlers. But beneath their sweat lies a tale of systemic injustice. Employed under the Youth Employment Agency’s (YEA) sanitation module; She wakes up at 4:30 a.m., broom in hand, reflective vest hugging her tired shoulders, and hope flickering in her eyes. For six days a week, she sweeps the same dusty stretch of road in Accra. And for that back-breaking labor, she receives just GHS 250 a month, while GHS 850 is allocated for their role. The balance, a staggering GHS 600, is absorbed by Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the private contractor entrusted with managing the initiative.

This is not just her story. It is the silent agony of thousands of Ghana’s youth employed under the sanitation module of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). And yet, there are whispers of a renewed contract between YEA and Zoomlion—a move that raises more questions than answers.

This isn’t just a contractual discrepancy—it’s a breach of public trust and a moral indictment of Ghana’s youth employment agenda.

Zoomlion’s Waning Glory and the Cost to National Sanitation

Zoomlion was once a brand synonymous with environmental excellence. Its trucks roamed the streets like national custodians. But that era of glory has faded. Today, the same company is plagued by inefficiency, bloated contracts, and mounting public criticism. From Accra to Tamale, choked gutters and heaps of garbage have become a recurring sight—evidence of a sanitation regime that no longer reflects value for money.

An audit by the Ghana Audit Service (2021) raised serious questions about performance metrics and unaccounted sanitation funds across multiple districts. Despite repeated payments, little has changed on the ground.

The Injustice of the GHS 250 Paycheck

To be paid GHS 250 monthly for full-time labor in sanitation is not just unfair—it is exploitative. It undermines SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The model currently operated under YEA and Zoomlion resembles a modern-day patronage system rather than a merit-based employment structure.

If the government believes in dignifying labor, then this arrangement must be overhauled. Why should the agency, meant to empower youth, become complicit in disempowering them?

Resetting the System

We must reset—not repeat. The YEA must rise above institutional lethargy and implement transformative reforms:

1. Abolish the Third-Party Monopoly: End sole-sourcing sanitation contracts to Zoomlion. Open the space to competitive, performance-based local enterprises.

2. Direct Youth Payment Portals: Establish a transparent digital payment system where sanitation workers receive 100% of their due.

3. Performance-Linked Contracting: Link sanitation contracts to output-based indicators and community feedback reports.

4. Youth-Led Sanitation Cooperatives: Allow trained youth to form registered cooperatives that can bid for district-level sanitation contracts.

5. Public Disclosure of Funds: Mandate quarterly publication of funds disbursed under YEA’s sanitation modules.

SDG Alignment: Building a Youth-Driven Future

The proposed reforms contribute directly to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 1 – End Poverty: By providing fair wages.

• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: By restructuring exploitative contracts.

• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: By leveling access to sanitation contracts.

• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: By improving waste management.

• SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Through transparency and justice in public contracting.

• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: By creating stakeholder-inclusive models.

"Where public trust is breached, progress cannot flourish." – Bismarck Kwesi Davis

Conclusion: This Is Not Employment—It’s Enslavement

The youth are not Ghana’s burden; they are Ghana’s builders. And when a builder is underpaid, underprotected, and undervalued, the very foundation of our national development begins to crack. If the government truly believes in empowering the next generation, then the Youth Employment Agency must act decisively.

Reform the system. Restructure the contracts. Respect the labor.

Only then can we say we are resetting Ghana—not with empty slogans—but with clean streets, empowered youth, and restored dignity.

References

• Ghana Audit Service. (2021). Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana – Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies. www.ghaudit.org

• MyJoyOnline. (2022, July 14). Zoomlion pays sanitation workers GHS 250 out of GHS 600 received per head – Report reveals. www.myjoyonline.com

• United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

• Youth Employment Agency (YEA). (2023). Youth Employment Modules & Annual Report. www.yea.gov.gh