Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has responded strongly to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation's dismissal of his call for the cancellation of the sanitation contract between the Youth Employment Authority (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
In a detailed letter addressed to the Committee Chair, John Kwabena Bless Oti, and other members, Manasseh described some of their comments as factually inaccurate and misleading.
He insisted that contrary to claims by the Committee, no jobs would be lost if the contract were terminated. "The people are paid by the state, so they will just report to their district assemblies instead of Zoomlion," Manasseh said. "In this case, they will earn more money if the middleman is eliminated." He criticised what he described as a blind defense of Zoomlion simply because it is a Ghanaian-owned company, noting that patriotism should not shield unethical practices from scrutiny. "Supporting Ghanaian businesses doesn't mean we should condone fraudulent and unconscionable conduct," he stated, drawing parallels with historical examples of Ghanaians participating in the exploitation of their own people.
Manasseh also accused the Committee of failing to challenge Zoomlion CEO Joseph Siaw Agyepong over a "senseless argument" justifying the low wages paid to sanitation workers.
