The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has confirmed that under the last contract signed between YEA and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, sweepers were to be paid an amount of GHC258 monthly.
Speaking during a Facebook Live session to engage the public on the future of the YEA-Zoomlion partnership, Mr. Basintale stated clearly that the figure of GHC258 was part of the agreed terms.
“YEA employed the beneficiaries and handed them over to Zoomlion to manage, and the amount of GHC258 was paid to each beneficiary, as was captured in the contract,” – he explained.
This confirmation comes amidst allegations from investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who criticized Zoomlion for paying what he described as a meager salary to sweepers.
However, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, recently defended the arrangement, clarifying that the amount was an allowance and not a full salary, considering that the sweepers worked between three to four hours a day.
He added that the allowance amount was determined and approved by the YEA at the time.
Mr. Basintale’s comments have added clarity to the ongoing public debate over the fairness of the payments.
He assured Ghanaians that the YEA is listening to all concerns as it decides whether to review, amend, or renegotiate the existing model to ensure greater fairness and better welfare for sanitation workers.
The future of the contract remains under discussion, with many citizens calling for improved remuneration for the workers.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Ebenezer Madugu
