The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources has announced plans to summon investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni to appear before it regarding his recent public comments urging the government not to renew its sanitation contract with Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
The committee’s chairman, John Oti Bless, described Manasseh’s claims as serious and emphasized the need for a thorough examination of the allegations.
Addressing journalists after touring Zoomlion’s Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Oti Bless stated, “We want to invite Manasseh Azure to appear before the Committee sometime next week to come and share the information he has as far as this issue is concerned, so we find a way out.”
He added that the committee would not rush to conclusions but would instead seek clarity through dialogue and scrutiny.
Mr. Oti Bless emphasized that any concerns about the contract must be addressed responsibly, given the thousands of Ghanaians who depend on Zoomlion for employment.
“If there are issues with the contract, that’s why we are leaders. We have to address them. But definitely, once it has to do with Ghanaians, thousands of Ghanaians will lose their jobs if this contract is not renewed,” he noted.
The chairman also disclosed plans to invite the Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to discuss ways to improve the conditions of service for sanitation workers under the Sanitation Improvement Package (SIP) initiative.
Mr. Oti Bless defended Zoomlion and its parent company, Jospong Group, lauding their investments in waste management and sanitation. “I am impressed. This is the first time I’m witnessing this kind of investment,” he said, calling on the public and government to support local businesses like Jospong.
The General Manager of the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant, Samuel Ntummy, also used the opportunity to urge lawmakers to support private waste management firms to expand operations and improve sanitation outcomes nationwide.
