Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources and Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, John Oti Bless, has described Zoomlion Ghana Limited’s Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) concept as one of the most viable modern solutions to waste processing in Africa.
According to him, he consistently promotes the concept whenever he gets the opportunity as a legislator because of its potential for expansion across the continent.
“Anywhere I find the opportunity as a legislator, I try to market the concept for international expansion because I believe it offers a sustainable solution to waste management challenges in Africa,” he said.
Despite praising the innovation, Hon. Oti Bless noted that the Committee’s preliminary findings point to unsatisfactory sanitation management and challenges with the supply of communal waste containers in some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He therefore urged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to aim at improving its efforts to better service delivery.
He made the remarks when he led members of Parliament’s Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources on a working visit to the newly constructed IRECOP Plant at Mankessim on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Operations Manager of the Mankessim IRECOP facility, Kofi Mbiah, took the delegation through the facility after briefing them on its operations.
He explained that the plant receives various forms of municipal solid waste and processes them into reusable materials.
Mr. Mbiah disclosed that the facility is expected to employ between 400 and 500 workers and operate on a 24-hour basis, significantly contributing to job creation and reducing unemployment.
The delegation also toured Medical Waste Treatment Plant, Mankessim, another facility owned by Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
Operations Manager of the medical waste facility, Elias Botchway, explained that the plant uses an autoclave system to sterilize harmful microorganisms before the waste is passed through a shredding process and later through a boiler system to ensure it becomes environmentally safe for final disposal.
According to him, the plant has the capacity to receive and process five tonnes of medical waste daily.
Mr. Botchway added that the facility will employ more than 40 workers and operate around the clock.
The visit formed part of the Committee’s oversight responsibility aimed at assessing sanitation infrastructure and waste management systems across the country. Mfantseman Assembly Commends Electoral Area Waste Initiative, Urges Stronger Collaboration with Zoomlion for Sustainable Waste Management
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Mfantseman, Eric Stanley Acquah has called for stronger collaboration between Zoomlion Ghana and the assembly for improved service delivery for the environmental health needs of the people.
He disclosed that the Assembly’s newly introduced Electoral Area Waste Management Programme is yielding positive results, with sanitation interventions already rolled out in 29 electoral areas out of the municipality’s 36 electoral areas.
The MCE made this known during an engagement involving members of Parliament’s Select Committee, officials of the Assembly, other stakeholders and management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZL), where sanitation delivery and operational challenges within the municipality came under review.
According to the MCE, while the Electoral Area Waste Management Programme has significantly improved sanitation management at the local level, the Assembly remains hopeful that some aspects of Zoomlion’s service delivery will improve immediately to meet contractual requirements.u
The MCE also identified the activities of informal waste collectors, popularly referred to as “junkies,” as one of the municipality’s major sanitation challenges.
According to him, these individuals collect waste from traders and residents, receive payment for the service, but fail to transport the waste to designated final disposal sites, leading to indiscriminate dumping and environmental contamination across parts of the municipality.
Mr. Acquah was worried that that even though there is no existing fumigation contract with any company in 2026 government still deducts money from their common fund for fumigation at source.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources and MP for Nkwanta North Hon. John Oti Bless, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured stakeholders that the committee would engage the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund to address issues surrounding deductions and sanitation financing arrangements.
The Ranking Member of the Committee and MP for Achiase, Hon. Kofi Marfo also stressed that assemblies should not be made to bear the consequences of inefficiencies in service delivery.
He noted that waste management companies must be held accountable to their contractual obligations and urged Zoomlion management to improve operational efficiency.
Responding to the concerns, the Central Regional Coordinator of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ernest Osei, highlighted the company’s longstanding commitment to the municipality, particularly during periods of public health emergencies.
He recalled that during a cholera outbreak in Mfantseman, Zoomlion provided emergency financial support, chemicals, and undertook large-scale disinfection and fumigation exercises across the municipality to help contain the spread of the disease.
Mr. Osei therefore called for stronger collaboration between the Assembly and Zoomlion, emphasizing that a healthy working relationship between both institutions remains critical to improving sanitation outcomes for residents.
He added that Zoomlion has consistently supplied communal waste containers to various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), including Mfantseman, and has remained committed to lifting waste regularly.
He, however, noted that operational challenges such as equipment breakdowns, heavy rainfall, and indiscriminate dumping around communal containers occasionally disrupt waste evacuation schedules.
Also addressing the meeting, Zoomlion’s Regional Vector Control Officer, Gideon Sogbey, dismissed claims of service lapses, explaining that several sanitation interventions undertaken by the company often go undocumented due to the longstanding relationship between both institutions.
He maintained that Zoomlion has continued to provide extensive support beyond its formal obligations and called for a fair assessment of the company’s contributions to sanitation management in the municipality.
The meeting underscored the need for improved coordination among assemblies, waste management service providers, and policymakers to address sanitation challenges and ensure cleaner communities across Mfantseman.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources is currently undertaking a monitoring visit to the Central and Western Regions from Thursday, April 23 to Monday, April 27, 2026, as part of its constitutional oversight responsibilities within Ghana’s sanitation and water sectors.
The visit is aimed at assessing the current state of sanitation services, evaluating the effectiveness of waste management systems, and gaining firsthand insight into the general sanitation situation in selected communities across the two regions.
As part of the exercise, members of the Committee are engaging key stakeholders in the sanitation sector, inspecting selected waste facilities, and receiving technical briefings on sanitation management practices and interventions being implemented within the regions.
The monitoring exercise underscores Parliament’s commitment to ensuring effective sanitation delivery, strengthening accountability, and supporting policies and interventions that promote a cleaner and healthier Ghana. Assin Fosu Assembly Commends Zoomlion’s Waste Collection Efficiency
The Assin Fosu Municipal Assembly has commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited for its efficiency in waste collection services within the municipality, while raising concerns over gaps in its disinfection activities lately.
This came to light during an engagement between officials of the Assembly and stakeholders on sanitation service delivery in the municipality.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. John Oti Bless, stated that government’s decision to engage private companies in sanitation management was intended to improve service delivery, noting that Zoomlion remains the leading private sector player in Ghana’s waste management sector.
He stressed that the committee was committed to ensuring fairness and objectivity in its assessment of sanitation services.
“Our findings are supposed to be reported as they are and fairly,” he stated.
According to him, the committee receives feedback from community members who monitor sanitation activities and submit reports on the performance of Zoomlion and other companies.
He disclosed that the committee would compile its findings and formally present them to Zoomlion Ghana Limited to allow the company to respond before any further action is taken.
Hon. Oti Bless also praised Zoomlion’s Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) initiative, describing it as an innovative waste management model he has consistently promoted in various forums.
“I have been marketing the IRECOP concept wherever I go because I believe it is a transformative solution,” he noted.
He, however, identified disinfection services and the Sanitation Improvement Package (SIP) as key areas where improvement is needed.
Responding to questions on the Assembly’s waste management strategy and utilization of government funding, the Municipal Coordinating Director Saaka Ibrahim, revealed that the Assembly had constructed ten mechanized boreholes this year and actively participated in all National Sanitation Day clean-up exercises.
The District Environmental Health Officer, Agyare Emmanuel, also commended Zoomlion for its operational efficiency.
He disclosed that the company currently supplies 11 waste containers to the municipality and has consistently ensured timely evacuation of waste.
“They are lifting the containers perfectly and we have not recorded issues of vehicle breakdowns in a long time,” he said.
Mr. Emmanuel further revealed that the Assembly has introduced a pay-as-you-dump waste disposal system, which has proven effective in improving sanitation management.
Despite these gains, he identified the absence of a cesspit emptier as a major challenge, explaining that the Assembly currently relies on a private operator for liquid waste management services.
He added that, with support from traditional leaders and transport unions, women have been engaged to clean transport stations and other public spaces that were previously handled by Zoomlion.
On fumigation services, he acknowledged that while the exercise continues, it is not conducted frequently enough.
“Fumigation goes on, but not too frequently, and we expect improvement in that area,” he stated.
He further disclosed plans by the Assembly to procure aboboyaas to support the transportation of waste from communities to designated container sites.
The discussions highlighted both the progress made in sanitation management in Assin Fosu and the need for stronger collaboration between local authorities, private waste management firms, and community stakeholders to address existing challenges.
