We must commend Mahama for terminating Zoomlion’s sanitation contract — Larry Dogbe

The Managing Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbe, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for terminating the 19-year-old sanitation module contract between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

The decision to end the renewable contract was communicated through a letter dated June 11, following a petition to the President by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who cited irregularities and unfairness in the arrangement.

The letter, signed by the President’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Callistus Mahama, also indicated that all payments made to Zoomlion after the contract’s expiry would be audited thoroughly, and any unauthorised disbursements recovered.

Reacting to the development on Accra-based Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, June 17, Mr. Dogbe urged the President to engage a competent agency to handle the auditing.

“I want to believe that, at the end of the day, the audit will be done by a competent institution. Zoomlion has also promised to make itself available, as well as all the state actors who have been involved in this.

“The institution that is going to investigate should investigate thoroughly, and, at the end of the day, publish the report for all of us to see. It is very important.”

Mr. Dogbe added, “I’m saying this because—silently—you hear people commending President Mahama. But you don’t hear many voices up there praising him the way he should be praised. This is a nearly 20-year-old contract that has been terminated, and he’s saying accountability, review, and competitive bidding are needed. We must commend him now, not attack him.”

In his petition requesting the termination of the contract, Manasseh revealed that the agreement, which expired in September 2024, allocated GHS850 per worker monthly to Zoomlion.

Of that amount, GHS258 was paid directly to each sweeper, while the remaining GHS592 was retained by the company for administrative purposes.