Accra: The recent flooding in major cities across Ghana, particularly in Accra, has once again exposed the deep cracks in the country's sanitation and waste management systems. Lives have been disrupted, homes submerged, businesses destroyed, and livelihoods threatened as gutters overflow with plastic and solid waste and rivers and drains struggle to cope with the heavy rains.
According to Ghana Web, the cancellation of the YEA-Zoomlion sanitation contract has become a focal point in discussions about the current sanitation crisis. Critics argue that the decision, made in 2025, may have worsened existing problems rather than improving them. Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni had long criticized Zoomlion Ghana Limited's contracts with the government, raising concerns about transparency and operational efficiency. His advocacy for the cancellation of these contracts is now under scrutiny as the country grapples with mounting waste and frequent flooding.
The cancellation was initially welcomed by those who believed that Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) could independently manage waste collection and sanitation services more effectively. However, the current evidence suggests a troubling reality, with worsening sanitation conditions, visible waste accumulation, and clogged drainage systems. Flooding incidents have become more frequent and severe, exposing the limitations of local assemblies in handling the complexities of waste management at a national scale.
For years, Zoomlion played a central role in coordinating sanitation activities nationwide, despite debates over contract structures and accountability. The company's extensive operational system supported waste collection, drain desilting, and environmental sanitation across Ghana. The national scale of waste management requires logistics, coordination, infrastructure, manpower, and discipline-responsibilities that cannot be assumed to be easily managed by local assemblies overnight.
Many assemblies are visibly struggling to manage waste just a year and a half after the contract's cancellation. The consequences of this struggle are felt by ordinary citizens through poor sanitation and worsening floods. The government is urged to reassess the decision and consider whether the cancellation was in the nation's best interest or if it was a reactionary measure driven by public pressure rather than strategic planning.
Despite the criticism and contract cancellation, Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Jospong Group have demonstrated a commitment to national service through emergency interventions following the recent floods. Their corporate social responsibility efforts, including desilting gutters, disinfecting, and supporting sanitation interventions in affected areas, are commendable and crucial in mitigating health risks following flooding.
The sanitation crisis demands pragmatism and collaboration rather than ideological battles. The government is encouraged to reconsider its stance on the cancelled contract or engage stakeholders to develop a stronger national sanitation framework. With its 20-year track record of effective waste management, Zoomlion has expanded its operations across Africa, securing contracts in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, where their systems have been embraced.
The recent floods in Ghana serve as a loud call to action, urging the nation to reassess its decisions and prioritize effective sanitation management to protect lives, safeguard property, and preserve public health.