Waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana is raising concerns over what officials described as persistent attempts to sabotage its operations by unscrupulous persons who have mastered the art of burning refuse collection containers.

The company says this act and indiscriminate dumping of waste at collection sites without recourse to lay down arrangements undermine its goal to keep communities clean.

Regional Coordinator, Ashanti East, Isaac Bamfo, who made the revelation, said the intentional burning of metal containers at collection sites has become a major obstacle.

According to him, the situation is worsened by recalcitrant residents who refuse to dump waste into containers but instead dump it indiscriminately.

“Our biggest challenge is people setting fire to our containers and littering around them. These actions not only damage our equipment but also make it extremely difficult to maintain a clean environment,” he said. “Sometimes, people send small children to dump refuse. When the kids can’t reach the top of the containers, they leave it on the ground, assuming Zoomlion workers will come and clean it up.”
He was speaking at the launch of 12 new sanitation trucks in the Ashanti Region as the region receives its share of 200 trucks being deployed nationwide.

Mr Bamfo, who is courting public support to end the practice, revealed Zoomlion, in partnership with the Assemblies, will intensify enforcement by penalising individuals who engage in these harmful acts.
“Keeping our cities clean is a shared responsibility. Zoomlion cannot do it alone. We are pleading with everyone to stop these practices and help us keep Ghana clean,” he appealed.

The deployment of the new trucks forms part of Zoomlion’s broader strategy to strengthen operations across all metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies in the Ashanti region.

According to Mr Bamfo, more trucks are expected in the third quarter to augment the existing fleet, as new drivers and janitors are also being recruited to enhance management.
Meanwhile, his counterpart in Ashanti West, George Manu, is hopeful the new trucks will significantly improve sanitation logistics in the region.

“The contract that expired is the one involving the YEA sweepers. The SIP is a separate and ongoing sanitation initiative. It wasn’t cancelled; it simply expired, and we’re working to renew and expand our collaboration,” he explained.

The event is expected to address recent confusion regarding the government’s contract with Zoomlion as the company urges Ghanaians to be active participants in the sanitation efforts by disposing of waste properly.