After nearly two decades of public scrutiny and allegations of financial impropriety, President John Dramani Mahama has officially ended one of Ghana’s most contentious government contracts.
On June 11, 2025, President Mahama confirmed that the 19-year agreement between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited would not be renewed.
The decision was communicated through a letter signed by Dr Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, and addressed to investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.
The presidential response was direct and unambiguous:
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His Excellency the President acknowledges the serious concerns raised in your letter and responds as follows: 1. Expiration of Contract: The contract between Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited (Zoomlion) has expired and will not be renewed.
The long road to this decision
Manasseh Azure Awuni
This outcome represents the culmination of a 12-year investigative campaign led by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who first exposed problems with the contract in 2013.
His persistent reporting highlighted several troubling aspects of the arrangement that raised questions about transparency and value for money.
The core problems identified
The most striking issue concerned how street sweepers were compensated. Under the contract terms, the government allocated GHS 850 per sweeper each month.
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However, Zoomlion reportedly kept GHS 600 of this amount, leaving workers with just GHS 250 monthly.
This dramatic difference between what the government paid and what workers received became a focal point of criticism.
Beyond the payment structure, investigators uncovered additional concerns. Zoomlion had established what critics described as a near-monopoly in sanitation contracts across Ghana.
The company also charged interest on delayed payments from the YEA, accumulating GHS 90 million in such charges during 2024 alone.
Verification challenges
The YEA itself had previously identified significant discrepancies in the contract’s implementation.
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In 2018, the agency’s internal audit found 38,884 sweepers actually working on the ground, while Zoomlion claimed to be paying 45,000 workers monthly. This gap of over 6,000 workers raised serious questions about accountability and financial oversight.
Former YEA Chief Executive Officer Kofi Baah Agyepong had advocated for ending the contract, arguing that the YEA possessed the necessary capabilities to manage the street sweeping program directly without an intermediary company.
What this means going forward
President Mahama’s decision is expected to produce substantial cost savings for the government.
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More importantly, the administration has committed to ensuring that these savings translate into higher direct payments for the street sweepers themselves.
This development marks a significant shift in Ghana’s approach to public service contracting and represents a victory for investigative journalism’s role in promoting government accountability.
The case demonstrates how sustained public scrutiny can ultimately lead to policy changes that better serve both taxpayers and workers.
The end of this controversial contract signals a new chapter in Ghana’s sanitation sector management, with the potential for more transparent and equitable arrangements moving forward.
