In a bold stand for workers’ rights and government accountability, Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has vowed not to renew the agency’s contract with Zoomlion Ghana Limited unless the wages of sanitation workers are significantly improved.
The contentious contract, which currently pegs the monthly salary of sanitation workers at just GH¢250, has come under heavy public scrutiny — with Basintale positioning himself at the forefront of a reform movement aimed at dignifying youth employment in Ghana.
Taking to Facebook on Friday, April 25, Basintale labelled the current agreement as “exploitative”, denouncing the treatment of workers as a betrayal of public trust.
“It is a rip-off of the poor Ghanaian and I will not be a party to it,” he wrote passionately. “I promise on my honour, by the grave of my late father, not to renew this contract in its current state. It is unjust, and it ends now.”
Mounting Pressure from Civil Society
Basintale’s statement follows years of criticism from civil society actors, most notably investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who has persistently highlighted poor labour conditions under the sanitation contract and accused previous administrations of turning a blind eye.
The YEA head’s open disapproval signals a possible shift in public sector contracting culture, one that prioritises fair remuneration, transparency, and value for money.
‘If It Were My Family…’
Basintale humanised the issue in his post, drawing attention to the emotional weight of underpaid labour:
“If my mother, brother, or sister were a Zoomlion worker, I wouldn’t be happy with any of them taking GH¢250 as salary.”
Engaging the Public for Solutions
In a move that further highlights his commitment to transparency and inclusiveness, Basintale invited the public to join him for a live Facebook discussion at 8:00 PM to deliberate on the contract’s future and gather public input.
“Let us fix this together. The youth deserve better,” he added.
Looking Ahead
With the issue now in the spotlight, the question remains whether the contract will be renegotiated or terminated, and how this move might influence broader labour reforms in Ghana’s sanitation and public works sector.
Basintale’s stance could mark the beginning of a new era of accountability and worker advocacy in Ghana’s state-sponsored employment programmes — or at least spark a much-needed national conversation about the value of labour and the role of government contracts in uplifting or undermining it.
