-BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament has formally disassociated itself from any perceived interference in the sanitation module contract between the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
The YEA says it won’t renew the multi-billion cedis sanitation module contract, while the parliamentary select committee on sanitation is pushing for the deal.
However in a statement released on Friday, the NDC Majority Caucus, led by Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, clarified that the Parliamentary Sanitation Committee has not been authorized to meddle in the YEA’s ongoing contractual dealings with Zoomlion.
This clarification comes in response to recent media reports suggesting parliamentary support for Zoomlion’s role in the sanitation initiative, a claim the NDC leadership firmly disputes.
“The Chairman of the Committee has reported to me that, contrary to media reports, neither he nor any committee member has attempted to do any such thing,” the statement read.
It emphasized that any remarks made by individual committee members in favour of Zoomlion should not be interpreted as representing the stance of the Sanitation Committee, the Caucus, or Parliament as a whole.
Zoomlion, a major waste management company, has over the years maintained a controversial partnership with government agencies, including the YEA, under its sanitation module program.
Critics have often questioned the transparency, cost-effectiveness, and long-term value of these contracts, prompting periodic scrutiny from civil society and parliamentary voices.
In reaffirming its position, the NDC Caucus also issued a warning to local government units, urging Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to resist any pressure to sign sanitation agreements with specific companies under duress.
“No Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly should in any form or manner allow itself to be intimidated by any authority to enter into any sanitation contract with any particular company,” Ayariga stated.
He further referenced a directive issued during the previous tenure of President John Dramani Mahama, under which 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund was allocated directly to MMDAs to support decentralization and enable local authorities to determine their own development priorities.
This policy, the statement noted, reinforces the independence of local assemblies in decision-making, including the selection of sanitation service providers.
The NDC’s position underscores a broader push for accountability and decentralization in governance, especially in light of longstanding concerns about the monopolization of sanitation contracts by a handful of firms.
As public discourse around sanitation contracts intensifies, the NDC is calling for restraint and due process, while distancing itself from any perceived political favoritism toward Zoomlion or any other private contractor involved with the YEA.
