At the crack of dawn, while most people are still in bed, Ama Djoleto (not her real name) wakes up at 4 a.m. to get ready for her street-sweeping job.
Draped in her blue and orange uniform, she drags herself out of the house and walks through the dark streets of her neighbourhood with a broom in hand.
She has her fears, fears of being harmed in the early hours of the morning because of recent happenings in her area. But she cannot afford to miss work.
It is not the kind of job the mother of two wanted. The salary is bad, she says. Her monthly take-home is GH₵ 180 or $30. The job comes with a lot of contempt from road users and the danger of being hurt.
So, for about GH₵ 6 a day, she sweats her dawn away, risking being knocked down by vehicles on the Achimota-Ofankor highway for what she describes as a pittance.
Ama is among the 45,000 people across the country who are working under the Sanitation Model of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA). The YEA recruits them but they are supervised by Zoomlion to sweep. This contract has been running since 2006 when the National Youth Employment Programme was first initiated to provide hope for the teeming unemployed youth in Ghana.
The government allocates GH₵ 600 to each sweeper. Out of this, GH₵ 180 goes to the sweeper and GH₵ 420 to Zoomlion as logistics and management fee monthly.
This means, out of the GH₵7,200 allocated to each sweeper annually, they receive GH₵2,160, while the lion’s share of GH₵5,040 goes to Zoomlion.
The amount allocated to the beneficiary used to be GH₵500, out of which GH₵ 100 went to the beneficiaries and GH₵400 went to Zoomlion. The review in the allocation happened about two years ago.
But the Auditor-General’s report on 2020 Management and Utilization of the District Assemblies Common Fund and other Statutory Funds said this was done without any documented approval.
“This allowed Zoomlion Ghana Ltd a monthly entitlement of GH₵ 500 management fees for each of the 45,000 personnel on the Module in the sum of GH₵ 270 million per annum. The fee was increased to GH₵ 600 in 2019, raising the annual fee payable from GH₵270 million in 2018 to GH₵ 324 million in 2019,” the Auditor-General’s report said.
The figures also mean that the management fees went up by GH₵54 million out of which the sweepers take home 30% of the amount allocated, while Zoomlion takes 70%.
The Audit Service said it did not get any relevant documents to authenticate the payments. However, the Auditor-General said the payments were made on the instruction of the YEA Executive Director.
The District Assemblies Common Fund made the payments and told the state auditors that “the implementation and supervision of work done were within the domain of the YEA,” the audit report said.
With that in mind, the Auditor-General wrote to the YEA, requesting evidence of engagement of personnel and related employment records for verification.
According to the report, the YEA confirmed that a new contract was signed between the YEA and Zoomlion Ghana Ltd in 2019.
However, the Auditor-General was not convinced.
The report, therefore, recommended to the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund to “suspend further payments on the module until we are provided with the related employment and performance records by YEA for our validation.”
The Auditor-General continued, “We also recommend to the Administrator to make future payments based on submission of certified work performance by YEA countersigned by the Coordinating Directors of Assemblies or their representatives.”
Meanwhile, various investigations into the implementation of the programme have revealed that the sweepers sometimes have to buy their own brooms—the main tools for their trade.
In 2013, after the GYEEDA Scandal by Manasseh Azure Awuni, the government set up a committee that reviewed the contracts and found many anomalies with the Zoomlion contract. The Committee recommended the discontinuation of the contract, but the government did not do it.
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the time put pressure on the Mahama administration to terminate the contract. After winning the 2016 election, however, the NPP government rather increased the management and logistics fee for Zoomlion.
That is not all the concerns the latest audit report found.
The Auditor-General also said the DACF paid a little over GH₵ 3.8 million to Zoomlion for fumigation and SIP services for 38 newly created assemblies that had not begun operations.
The assemblies were not inaugurated in March 2018 and their agreements with Zoomlion took effect from April 2018.
The payment is 2018, the Auditor-General said, contravened Regulation 39 of the now-repealed Financial Administration Regulations, 2004 (L.I 1802) which required heads of accounts to ensure that payments were cleared.
“We considered the payment to be unjustified and loss to the Fund, as the allocation to the newly created assemblies did not warrant payment to Zoomlion Ghana Ltd for no work doNE,” the report said.
It explained that the assemblies indicated that Zoomlion Ltd would perform extra services to recover the amount.
It, therefore, directed the administrator of DACF to provide evidence of the scope of work undertaken by Zoomlion Ltd to offset the payment to recover the GH₵3.8 million from Zoomlion.
In yet another deal, the Auditor-General asked a Jospong company to cough up GHc 95 million, which one of its waste management subsidiaries, Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited, received from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
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I remember the first time you investigated the salary of zoomlion workers. I was in school by then. I’ve been following your subsequent stories to see the aftermath of the investigation. This is a great work. Boss keep on the good work you’re doing for the marginalize.
One thing I know is that Zoomlion is not an NGO but a company registered under the laws of Ghana to do business and make profit. I think that Manaseh should rather direct his continues outburst towards Government.
so is it right to pay the workers – the people the Youth Employment Module was implemented – 30% and take the 70% of the money allocated? People are being robbed and you’re here defending the robber
Boss, when it comes to business there is no morality ooh. If the management of Zoomlion are ot morally sound they will feel they’re doing their best. Hmmmmmm
Very insulting and unrepentant.
If there is no morality in business, yet we are responsible for running business, how then are our morals separated from the morals in the decisions we make for business?
God help us.
Are robots the one managing the businesses or human beings? How can one separate his morality from himself as a human being in making business decisions which sometimes involves ethical and moral issues.
How can you look at your fellow man and pay him 180gh a month out of 600gh allocation. Not to even mention the fact that the 600gh in itself isn’t enough if all is allocated to the worker factoring in the high risks involved.
That’s what we think, there is no morality but there should be sanity, sanity in the sense that there is respect and jusy treatment for human dignity. Exploitation of labor is against the laws and we ought to educate the least of workers on that.
Hi Curtis, that is the way that these things are done. When I started work I was subcontracted to a Client. My Employer kept 70% and I got 30%. *But* They employed me all year including the times that they couldn’t charge for my time. Looking back although I thought it was unfair at the time it was probably right. This contract however does not appear to be that in that they are paid all the time for each sweeper. It seems to me that 80% to the Sweeper and 20% to ZL would be the model here. It would have the benefit also that the Sweeper could be paid more and the cost of the Contract would go down.
Funny on your part. This issue has so much to do with the GoG. Government makes shady deals with zoomlion which profits both parties. Do you know how much money we commit to sanitation annually? And what is the state of our sanitation crises?
You have the heart of a stone, my brother. Put your parents in the position of the sweepers and repeat what you’ve just said.
Manasseh, in fact you are a missionary. Keep on, for the future of Ghana and its citizens depends on personalities like you. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.
Anyway time will tell. This is a day light robbing.
It’s funny,you decided to potray AMA as if she collects a salary of 180 cedis instead of saying she collects an allowance. Their sweeping on the streets last for only 4hrs not the whole day pls. Don’t paint a one sided story. Tell it as it is.
Irrespective of how long they work,what is due them must be given to them.Politicians and so called business people are conniving to Robb this country and you are there defending.
4 hours a day is half of a full work day. The issue is about paying people a fair wage for the work they do not how long they work. It’s a shame that for a country where there’s significant poverty people would repress and criticize the victims of a failed system instead of recognizing the thieves and oppressors for who they are. How do you justify pocketing all that money in the name of logistics and administrative work. HOW?!
someone sits somewhere, does nothing and even gets paid. how much more someone who is cleaning your surroundings for you? you think 180 cedis is enough?
work four hours a day for 6 ghana cedis on the average. will you accept such payments. please!
I have always felt for these Zoomlion sweepers for the wages they are being paid. Zoomlion and some corrupt government officials are just causing financial loss to the state. It’s about time these contracts given to Zoomlion is terminated.
Good job though ?!
It has always been Zoomlion that you investigate.How about the other Ghanaian companies.Despite the number of people Zoomlion employs to reduce unemployment rate you still discredit them and make them look bad in the eyes of Ghanaians.Can you employ all the people that Zoomlion has employed.
Shut up, we talking about the wages if workers and you here polluting the air
The amount of money paid to Zoom lion in most districts is enough to provide education, health and sanitation. All contractors in Ghana suffer from delay in payments except Zoom lion. Zoom lion even gets payments up front while others complete their projects and don’t get payment. What’s so special about zoom lion that they get such treatment? The politicians should tell us.
Why can’t YEA pay their staff and supervise them since they have offices through out the country?
Somethings just don’t add up .
Winnimi Kad-bimah
How do u expect people to do this work. When I say NDC&NPP are the major course of our problems. They will tag you as one of them. Mercy lord
With the way things are being run in this country I wonder if there is hope in sight for us as a country because the very people we are instilling our hope in to run affairs are gradually diminishing it through their corrupt and evil activities
I think it’s not that cheap to procure logistics to all 45000 YEA workers for them to do their work effeciently. Moreover they work for only an hour to two.
You will not know how hard someone’s work is until you find yourself doing it. Be sensitive dealing with people at least a little. What of those who in their respective offices, do nothing and receiving higher pay which comes every month without failing. 2 hrs of cleaning the mess you and I create everyday is nothing?. Have some love in you dear, I mean not to offensive.
WHY ARE THE PEOPLE AT TOP SO CRUEL TO PEOPLE AT BOTTOM.?
This is a very informative piece ? Keep up the good work. I observed the recent feud between you and Paul Adom Otchere about the articles you write about the Jospong group based on your investigations. Now I see the clear picture of journalism in Ghana, they do not like prudent journalism. These truths you uncovered are clear facts and anyone who feels this should not be unraveled or it is as a result of anger and bitter hatred against the Jospong group needs to wear spectacles to be able to see the facts clearly elaborated in the article. Keep up your good work. I really like your kind of journalism.
A student of journalism.
Why is it that we see these ridiculous amounts being paid for nothing while they could be channeled to solving basic needs in a society. Misappropriation and misuse of funds in huge problem here. Imagine the number of chairs, shades and tables GHS 3.8 m will do for less privileged societies. This cruelty is inhumane.
Are our leaders following Jacob Zuma’s case in SA? And his deals with the Gupta family and businesses when JZ was in power?
Please find a solution for them to receive their 600 CEDI’s per month.And the salary too is not coming every month
You are a God sent
To those hailing Zoomlion and the gang formed, imagine you relations depending on you while you are working there for such a chicken change salary. Some of you just need to subjected to the treatment others go through and you will cry foul. Just because it isn’t you, you are hailing Zoomlion
You have the heart of a stone, my brother. Put your parents in the position of the sweepers and repeat what you just said.
Manasseh, you are a missionary. The future of Ghana and its citizens depends on personalities like you. Keep it up, we’re behind you. In fact, no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
Good job done Auditor General.
The management of zoomlion ghana Ltd. is not only cheating the sweepers, but also the district managers, operations assistance and administrator assistance.
Poor service condition
Bad salary policy
The aforementioned staffs are doing work and with appointment letter from zoomlion ghana Ltd. as core staffs o the company.
The auditor General and Labour union should also investigate into this and helps the poor working staffs.
What’s the minimum wage in this country? It’s quite pathetic to see people struggle for such an amount and we gladly add them to the employment list. Better unemployed, the government should be ashamed of this and must step up in being responsible for its people.
I think the argument that “in business there is no morality” does not hold any water in this situation. If business were only about being reckless in making money at the expense of others then how is it that the best performing companies in the world also have great testimonials from all who work there, whether full time or contract? What surprises me about our attitude towards ordinary workers here in Ghana is how people are willing to come and defend such actions! God help our country! Selfishness and greed have never been and will never be any company’s path to success!! Making huge profits at the expense of ordinary hard working citizens neither makes you profitable or successful. Shame on us!!
Hmmm, How much is the minimum wage rate in this country?… Sometimes let’s also think about those doing the work on the ground. It is sad to note that these people can even work for Soo many months without being paid . We plead that if at least their salaries can be increased a little and be paid consistently it will help this country. Thanks for the good work done to mother Ghana.
This corruption should not be allowed to stand. Zoomlion must be forced to pay the remaining 70% of the money they stole from their employees with interest from the beginning of the operation. Government must not allow this type of monopoly in our system. Zoomlion alone should not be the sole management team handling this project. They must have competitors or kick out of the project all together because of their fraud.
This is how government is going to use the money they are going to steal from our pockets and which they call e-levy.
Wastes, wastes,vwastes!!!