The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Mfantseman, Eric Stanley Acquah, has called for stronger collaboration between Zoomlion Ghana Limited and the Assembly to improve environmental health service delivery.

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 out of the municipality’s 36 electoral areas.

The MCE made this known during an engagement involving members of Parliament’s Select Committee, Assembly officials, other stakeholders, and management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, where sanitation delivery and operational challenges within the municipality were reviewed.

According to him, while the Electoral Area Waste Management Programme has significantly improved sanitation management at the local level, the Assembly expects aspects of Zoomlion’s service delivery to improve in line with contractual obligations.

Acquah also identified the activities of informal waste collectors, popularly referred to as “junkies,” as a major sanitation challenge in the municipality.

He explained that these individuals collect waste from traders and residents, receive payment for the service, but fail to transport the waste to designated final disposal sites, resulting in indiscriminate dumping and environmental contamination in parts of the municipality.

The MCE further expressed concern that although there is no existing fumigation contract with any company in 2026, deductions are still being made from the Assembly’s Common Fund for fumigation at source.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources and MP for Nkwanta North, John Oti Bless, acknowledged the concerns and assured stakeholders that the Committee would engage the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund to address issues related to deductions and sanitation financing.

The Ranking Member of the Committee and MP for Achiase, Kofi Marfo, also stressed that assemblies should not 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 to improve operational efficiency.

Responding to the concerns, the Central Regional Coordinator of Zoomlion, Ernest Osei, highlighted the company’s longstanding commitment to the municipality, particularly during public health emergencies.

He recalled that during a cholera outbreak in Mfantseman, Zoomlion provided emergency financial support, chemicals, and carried out large-scale disinfection and fumigation exercises to help contain the spread of the disease.

Osei therefore called for stronger collaboration between the Assembly and Zoomlion, emphasizing that a healthy working relationship between both institutions is critical to improving sanitation outcomes.

He added that Zoomlion has consistently supplied communal waste containers to various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), including Mfantseman, and remains committed to regular waste collection.

However, he noted that operational challenges such as equipment breakdowns, heavy rainfall, and indiscriminate dumping around communal containers sometimes 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 the two institutions.

He maintained that Zoomlion continues to provide 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 April 23 to April 27, 2026, as part of its constitutional oversight responsibilities.

The visit aims to assess the current state of sanitation services, evaluate the effectiveness of waste management systems, and gain firsthand insight into sanitation conditions in selected communities across the two regions.

As part of the exercise, Committee members are engaging key stakeholders, inspecting selected waste management facilities, and receiving technical briefings on sanitation practices and interventions in the regions.

The monitoring exercise underscores Parliament’s commitment to ensuring effective sanitation delivery, strengthening accountability, and supporting policies that promote a cleaner and healthier Ghana.