The Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has told the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) Malik Basintale to increase the wages of beneficiaries and terminate Zoomlion’s involvement.
According to Manasseh the YEA has managed other modules without a third party so they can do the same with the sanitation module.
Malik Basintale yesterday 25th April 2025 confirmed that the agency’s contract with Zoomlion has lapsed and has not been renewed yet.
He has revealed weighing three options which included, revising the contract, cancelling it, or raising workers’ pay, prioritizing the welfare of ordinary Ghanaians.
Manasseh in a post on the social media page X wrote, “Let’s adopt Points 2 and 3. Let’s increase the beneficiary wages and terminate Zoomlion’s involvement altogether. We don’t need any other company.
The YEA has managed all the other modules without a third party. The YEA can do the same with the sanitation module. Even with this module, the YEA has the support of the assemblies’ waste and sanitation module.
When I investigated GYEEDA in 2013, third-party companies were the cause of the corruption scandals”, he added.
Meanwhile, Malik Basintale has promised on his late father’s grave not to renew the Zoomlion contract with workers receiving GH¢250.
He noted that the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government committed evil with the Zoomlion contract and he shall stop it.
His comments come after investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and some other Ghanaians calling on not to renew Zoomlions contract.
According to Manasseh Azure, the expired contract arrangement between Zoomlion and YEA reveals that Zoomlion receives GHS850 but the workers take home GHS 250 a month.
The investigative journalist noted that only humans with the instincts of wild beasts would allow their fellow Ghanaians to work for a month and go home with only $17 a month.
He noted that Elder Joseph Siaw Agyepong the CEO of Zoomlion and Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies told parliament that the sweepers are paid below the minimum wage because they work 4 hours a day.
In a write-up address to Malik Basintale on X, Manasseh Azure wrote, “Here is evidence that the Zoomlion contract expired before you took office. And your predecessor, who fought it, notified the company. Please, do the needful. Don’t resurrect this thievery. Don’t disappoint the youth who massed up and marched with you in the sun and in the rain during the campaign.
Elder Joseph Siaw Agyepong of THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST told parliament yesterday that the sweepers are paid below the minimum wage because they work 4 hours a day, six days a week”.
He added, “The cleaners of your office don’t work all day, so it does not make sense to pay these people below the minimum wage. That’s the essence of the minimum wage.
Besides, only humans with the instincts of wild beasts would allow their fellow Ghanaians to work for a month and go home with only $17 a month, while the businessman makes millions”.
The Basintale boy stated, “I promise on my honor as I stand by the grave of my late DAD, NOT to RENEW the contract in its CURRENT STATE or FORM.
It is EVIL for the Previous government to have committed to this and I SHALL STOP IT.
My brothers and sisters, On December 7th, 2024, Change came and Change must Happen”.
According to Malik Basintale if his family member was a Zoomlion worker he won’t be happy with them taking Ghc250 as salary and so cannot be happy with others taking that amount.
He added, “If my mother/Brother/Sister were a Zoomlion worker, I won’t be happy with either of them taking Ghc250 as Salary and as such I can’t be happy with you, your mother, father, brother or sister taking same.
I Shall be live tonight at 8 pm here on Facebook to take reviews, comments and the way Forward.
May God bless us all. We Can’t Fail the Masses🇬🇭”
See the post below:
Malik Basintale, you may not see my comment because of the numbers, but here is my recommendation:
Let’s adopt Points 2 and 3. Let’s increase the beneficiary wages and terminate Zoomlion’s involvement altogether. We don’t need any other company.
The YEA has managed all the…
— Manasseh Azure Awuni (@Manasseh_Azure) April 25, 2025
