The trucks, according to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, would help the company execute its contracts with the MMDAs.

At the handover ceremony in Accra, Hajia Mahama said some assemblies had signed an agreement with the company to help them manage waste properly within their jurisdictions.

She explained that the trucks were part of the unliquidated payment for sanitation management in the MMDAs.

Two of the trucks
 

Job creation

The Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, owners of Zoomlion, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, said the trucks would  help in creating 300 direct and about 1,000 indirect jobs in the MMDAs as part of the contract signed between the waste management company and the assemblies.

He added that the 38 newly created MMDAs  would also benefit the trucks to help them tackle waste collection and disposal.

Mr Agyepong said the presentation of the trucks formed part of the many interventions to ensure that Accra, and for that matter Ghana, became the cleanest city in Africa.

“The procurement was part of the company’s strategies to meet the needs of our growing population and rapid urbanisation. Our strategies evolve with our changing needs, and in that respect we require the support and collaboration of all citizens and stakeholders,” he said.

Support

He said Zoomlion fully supported the vision of the government, not only to make Accra a clean city but also create jobs and promote the private sector.

Mr Agyepong  announced plans by the waste management company to distribute one million bins to households for effective waste collection.

He noted that  in 2016 the company embarked on a similar exercise during which about 400 waste trucks and 5,000 motorised tricycles were procured to help with waste collection and disposal in the country.

Appreciation

For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashittey, thanked Zoomlion for providing the trucks to augment the existing ones for efficient waste collection and disposal in the country.

He expressed the hope that the trucks would be put to good use and a proper maintenance culture adopted to ensure their longevity.

Mr Ashitey advised waste management officers to take their training seriously in order to perform their tasks more effectively.

He appealed to other private partners in waste management  to collaborate effectively with the MMDAs to support the government’s vision of making Accra clean.