The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs (MLGCRA), Ahmed Ibrahim, has hailed Zoomlion Ghana Limited for its sanitation infrastructure so far in West Africa; amid a strategic collaboration to tackle Ghana’s waste management crisis, particularly plastic.
For instance, he said, “Before Zoomlion, faecal waste flowed freely into the sea that caused diseases such as cholera. Their infrastructure is now our lifeline.”
The minister was peaking on Adom TV in Accra, where he underscored the indispensability of Zoomlion’s cutting-edge facilities, which position Ghana as a regional leader in sustainable waste solutions.
“The kind of sanitation infrastructure that Zoomlion has invested – both in municipal solid and liquid waste and robustness of the recycling waste management plants is so unparalleled,” he averred.
Hon. Ahmed then praised Zoomlion’s nationwide network of modern recycling plants, faecal waste management systems, and sewage-to-resource technologies, which convert waste into compost and charcoal as unmatched in the country.
These facilities, he noted, align with Ghana’s 2016 ban on ocean dumping of faecal waste, a policy enacted under former President John Dramani Mahama that halted hazardous coastal pollution.
The Minister who has overside responsibility of sanitation, however, raised alarms over a crippling 1.2 billion Ghana cedis debt owed to Zoomlion by the government, inherited from the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
According to him, this debt has been a significant concern for the government, adding that despite this “we are closely collaborating with Zoomlion to address Ghana’s waste management challenges.”
“We collaborating closely with Zoomlion to address waste management challenges in the country, particularly focusing on recycling plastic waste,” he noted.
He stressed the necessity for the government to forge a solid partnership with private waste management firms, and urged Zoomlion not to relent on their efforts to complete their waste infrastructure transformation agenda.
Ibrahim Ahmed also linked recent cholera outbreaks in coastal cities like Cape Coast, Winneba, and Takoradi (October 24, 2023) to lingering gaps in public sanitation education.
He urged intensified advocacy to curb reckless waste disposal, particularly in water bodies critical for domestic and agricultural use.
“Zoomlion’s work goes beyond just sweeping our streets, it’s about safeguarding national health and environmental sustainability,” he asserted, rallying support for stronger public-private partnerships.
