Former YEA CEO Kofi Agyepong Refutes Zoomlion’s GHS300 Allowance Claim

Former Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Kofi Agyepong, has firmly denied claims by waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited that his administration proposed to pay only GHS300 in monthly allowances to sweepers under the YEA sanitation module.

In a press statement issued on April 30, 2025, Zoomlion alleged that it had proposed an increase in sweepers’ allowances to GHS420 in 2024, but the YEA, under Mr. Agyepong’s leadership, countered with a GHS300 proposal. Mr. Agyepong has now responded, describing the claim as “categorically false.”

According to the former CEO, the only counter-proposal submitted to the YEA Board during his tenure was GHS500 per month per beneficiary. “It was an amount we reluctantly proposed due to budget constraints, though we wished we could offer more in recognition of the hard work of the beneficiaries,” he stated.

Mr. Agyepong further revealed that Zoomlion’s November 2024 proposal requested a total allocation of GHS1,308 per sweeper, out of which GHS888 would be retained by the company as a management fee, leaving only GHS420 for the beneficiaries. He described the proposal as “excessive, unjustified, and deeply unfair,” noting that it was rejected outright by his management and Board.

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He also clarified that, contrary to Zoomlion’s assertion that the proposal was “still under discussion,” no further negotiations took place after the rejection. “Any engagement Zoomlion has now is entirely with the new leadership and has nothing to do with the previous management,” he emphasised.

Mr. Agyepong disclosed additional reforms his administration proposed during contract renewal discussions with Zoomlion, aimed at improving transparency and accountability. These included:

1. Direct Payment to Beneficiaries: The YEA sought to take over direct payment of allowances to beneficiaries, a practice consistent with other modules under the Agency. Zoomlion reportedly resisted this change.
2. Logistics Oversight: His team proposed that all contract-related logistics be stored in YEA warehouses for proper oversight and inventory control. This, too, was rejected by the company.

“These were key reform-oriented proposals put forward to protect the public interest and ensure fairness to beneficiaries,” he noted. “Zoomlion’s refusal to accept these changes is precisely why my administration declined to renew their contract.”

Mr. Agyepong urged the current YEA leadership to resist any pressure from Zoomlion that may not serve the best interests of the sweepers or the Ghanaian taxpayer. He called for public support for transparency and accountability in the management of the YEA sanitation module.

“Any effort to reform or challenge the Zoomlion-YEA arrangement should not be seen as partisan politics,” he said, “but as a necessary fight for transparency, equity, and public accountability.”