The Parliamentary Select Committee Chairman on Sanitation John Kwabena Bless Oti has stated thousands of Ghanaians will lose their jobs if the Zoomlion contract is not renewed.
According to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation, they oppose calls made by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni to the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) not to renew the Zoomlion 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”.
However, John Kwabena Bless Oti disagreed with Manasseh’s assertion and revealed that the investigative journalist would appear before the committee, maybe when Parliament resumes, for him to share his information.
Speaking during a working visit to the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant in the Ashanti Region, he stated, “Any amount owed Zoomlion, we have trust that it will be paid, the budget that was presented has about GH13 billion to clear arrears, which Zoomlion is a part of. I think I disagree with him [Manasseh Azure].
“Jospong is a Ghanaian; if there are issues, we have to address them; that is why we have leaders. We want to invite Manasseh Azure to appear before the committee, maybe when Parliament resumes, for him to share his information. Thousands of Ghanaians will lose their jobs if this contract is not renewed,” he added.
