Gov’t Owes Zoomlion GH₵1.2bn for Waste Services, Minister Reveals

In a stunning revelation, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA), Ahmed Ibrahim, has disclosed that the government owes Zoomlion Ghana Limited a massive GH₵1.2 billion for waste management services provided over the past two years.

This debt, which was inherited from the previous Akufo-Addo administration, has become a significant challenge for the current government.

Speaking on Adom TV in Accra, Minister Ibrahim addressed the growing issue of delayed payments to companies under the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA).

Despite the large debt, he emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between the government and private waste management companies like Zoomlion, especially in tackling the country’s pressing waste management challenges.

“We are working closely with Zoomlion to address waste management issues, with a special focus on recycling plastic waste,” Ibrahim said.

He noted that Zoomlion has made enormous investments in modern waste treatment and recycling facilities across the country, a feat the government currently lacks the infrastructure to replicate.

The Minister praised Zoomlion for its state-of-the-art facilities, including its advancements in solid and liquid waste treatment. He stressed that without the company’s operations, Ghana would face an escalating sanitation crisis.

He recalled the environmental and health hazards that arose when faecal waste was previously dumped directly into the sea, a practice that has since been banned.

Now, Zoomlion’s liquid waste recycling plants process sewage into compost and charcoal, aligning with the 2016 sea disposal ban initiated by former President Dramani Mahama.

Ibrahim further highlighted the critical role of Zoomlion in faecal waste management, stressing that any disruption to its operations could lead to severe environmental repercussions.

He called on the government to prioritize sanitation, referencing the cholera outbreak in coastal regions such as Cape Coast, Winneba, and Takoradi in October 2023, and urged for increased public education on sanitation risks.