President John Dramani Mahama has informed investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni that his petition calling for the discontinuation of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA)-Zoomlion contract is “being given the necessary attention.”
The assurance was conveyed in a formal response letter to Manasseh, who submitted his petition two weeks ago.
In his petition, Manasseh called for the termination of the 19-year-old contract between YEA and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which has been at the center of controversy due to concerns about corruption and its failure to deliver value for money.
Under the previous contract, which expired in September 2024, GHS 850 was allocated to each sweeper, with Zoomlion keeping GHS 600 and paying the sweepers only GHS 250 per month.
Additionally, Zoomlion charged substantial interest, amounting to GHS 90 million in 2024, due to delays in YEA’s payments.
The company did not have to provide proof of borrowing money to prefinance the contract, which raised questions about the fairness of the arrangement.
Zoomlion recently proposed a new allocation under the revised contract, which is currently under discussion at the YEA. Under the new proposal, the allocation per sweeper would increase to GHS 1,308, with Zoomlion taking GHS 888 and giving the sweepers GHS 420 a month.
Manasseh’s petition emphasized the financial discrepancies and corruption risks associated with the contract, urging that it be discontinued.
Acknowledging receipt of the petition, Dr. Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, assured that the matter is being thoroughly reviewed, and that the outcome will be communicated in due course.
Read the response below:
