Former YEA boss refutes Zoomlion's claims over sweeper allowance proposal

Former Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr. Kofi Agyepong, has denied claims from Zoomlion Ghana Limited. The waste management company made statements about negotiations over sweeper allowances under the YEA sanitation module.

In a press statement responding to Zoomlion’s April 30, 2025 publication, Mr. Agyepong called their assertions misleading and inaccurate. He firmly denied that the YEA offered GHS300 per month for sweepers in response to Zoomlion’s 2024 proposal.

“I wish to categorically state that no such counter-proposal was made by the YEA during my tenure as CEO,” he said. He explained that the only proposal submitted was GHS500 per month per beneficiary due to budget constraints.

Mr. Agyepong noted that Zoomlion's November 2024 proposal sought to raise the allocation per beneficiary to GHS1,308. Of this amount, GHS888 would go to Zoomlion as a management fee, while GHS420 would be given to beneficiaries. He described this proposal as “excessive, unjustified, and deeply unfair” and stated it was rejected by the YEA board.

Zoomlion claimed discussions on the proposal were ongoing. However, Mr. Agyepong insisted that under his leadership, the matter was closed with no further talks held. “Any engagement Zoomlion has now is entirely with new leadership,” he stressed.

He also highlighted key reforms his administration proposed during contract renewal talks with Zoomlion. These included transferring payment control of sweepers directly to YEA for better accountability and requiring all contract-related materials to be stored in YEA-controlled warehouses.

“These efforts aimed to improve transparency and protect public funds,” Mr. Agyepong explained. “Zoomlion’s refusal led my administration to decline renewing their contract.”

He urged current YEA leadership to resist pressure from Zoomlion and prioritize the interests of sweepers and taxpayers. “Reforms in the Zoomlion-YEA partnership must not be viewed through a partisan lens,” he emphasized. “They are part of a necessary national conversation about transparency, equity, and public accountability.”