Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company has been contracted to ensure environmental sanitation at the four stadia of the Ghana 2008 venues of the MTN Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for January 20 to February 10. The company has therefore embarked on the recruitment and training of more personnel to deliver a world class service for the international tournament. Mr Lawrence Laryea, Head of Operations of Zoomlion said the company has so far recruited about 1000 workers to take charge of the environmental sanitation services in the four sites at the Ohene Djan, Baba Yara, Essipong near Sekondi and Tamale Sports stadiums. He said that 300 of them would be attached to the Ohene Djan stadium, 300 attached to the Baba Yara, 200 to the Tamale stadium and 200 to the Essipong stadium at Sekondi-Takoradi. Mr Laryea said this in briefing with the media in Accra to explain the company’s services at the Ghana 2008 that will attract 16 of the Africa’s beat teams to Ghana. He said the Company intends to increase the work force to 1200 to ensure a more efficient and effective delivery of their services, adding that the company has procured road sweepers and washers, skip trucks, water tankers and other cleaning equipment for an effective delivery of services. “We are also making available our services to the Local Organising Committee’s (LOC) accredited hotels and restaurants. These include 24 hour water tanker supply, cesspit emptier services, fumigation and disinfestations services, landscaping and beatification, as well as emergency evacuation of piled up garbage”. Mr Laryea said that Zoomlion was in collaboration with the various Metropolitan, District Assemblies and venue LOC’s to embark on a nationwide clean-up exercise to ensure that the whole country was kept clean throughout and after the tournament. He entreated Ghanaians join in the exercise to rid of rubbish by maintaining good environmental sanitation in and around their homes, schools, workplaces, churches and other places of convenience. Mrs Issabella Gyau-Orhin, Communications Manager of Zoomlion said that the company has since its inception in January 2006 undertaking numerous activities to improve the environmental sanitation of the country. She said the company has noted that lorry parks were the first point of call for several tourists as well as the main centres of economic activities, adding that, “Ensuring proper sanitation habits therefore will be key for the success of the tournament”. Mrs Gyau-Orhin gave the assurance that Zoomlion would intensify its efforts in beautifying the country by planting more flowers, shrubs, trees and grasses and continue with the painting of road kerbs and other ceremonial streets. Source: GNA