Zoomlion provides sanitation services to remote communities
When the Eastern Regional office of Zoomlion Ghana Limited decided to reach out to residents of Akyemansa District in 2015 with sanitation services, it was with great apprehension since the community is one of the remotest in the region.Today, however, that decision has paid off with more than 100 households already enjoying door-to-door services from Zoomlion Ghana, barely a year after the company’s entry into that community.
Advertisement
Like Akyemansa with Ofoase as its capital, there are many communities in the Eastern Region which hitherto did not have reliable sanitation services but are now being served by Zoomlion Ghana.
There are 26 assemblies in the Eastern Region and according to the Regional Manager of Zoomlion, Mr George Aguadze, the company’s presence can be felt in all of those districts and municipalities.
Mr Aguadze was highlighting Zoomlion’s activities in the region after 10 years of operations in an interview with the Daily Graphic.
Services
“We have also extended our door-to-door services to areas such as the Afram Plains where we currently have 30 clients, and Ayensuano with 64 clients”, Mr Aguadze further stated.
Intensifying the door-to-door collection of solid waste is one of the company’s strategies to improve sanitation in the region, he explained.
“Two years ago, we had about 3,241 door-to-door clients. Today, however, the number has doubled to about 6,358 and still counting.
“There has been significant improvement in the sanitation condition in this region, particularly with the recent distribution of 180 skips to all the 26 districts”, Mr Aguadze stated.
Currently, Zoomlion has provided 42 skips to manage the central container sites in the regional capital, Koforidua, in the New Juaben Municipality. The other municipal assemblies have 20 skips each while the district assemblies have 10 skips each. There are 10 municipalities and 16 districts in the Eastern Region.
About 150 shop owners, who have registered with Zoomlion, have also been supplied with litterbins which are emptied by its personnel only at night.
“After series of experiments, we realised that the night collection is more effective so we have adopted it to enable us to perform at peak. We empty the bins daily”, Mr Aguadze stressed.
A shop owner at the Accra Station, Madam Serah Nkansah, who subscribed to the service about three months ago commended the company for their effort.
Madam Nkansah generates a lot of waste, particularly, cardboards, and rubbers from her provisions shop.
“So far, Zoomlion has been reliable in emptying my container. I pray they continue so we can all sell in a clean and healthy environment”, she stated.
Stock taking
When personnel and stakeholders in the sanitation sector gathered in Koforidua for the 10th anniversary of Zoomlion’s operations in the region in May this year, it was to take stock of the company’s strides towards a cleaner Eastern Region.
Mr Aguadze recalled how the company took over waste collection in the Central Business District (CBD) in Koforidua. “It was a common sight to see spill overs at central container sites at the CBD which led to the closure of the site opposite the Melcom Shop and another one around the Peugeot Station. Our quality delivery compelled the New Juaben Municipal Assembly to sublet all its 42 container sites to us”.
Waste separation
Residents of SSNIT Flats in the New Juaben Municipality are learning how to separate their plastic waste from organic following its introduction by the company. Currently, residents isolate their empty sachet wrappers and other poly materials for collection by Zoomlion. “We want to learn the lessons and replicate the waste separation in other suburbs”, Mr Aguadze stated.
About Zoomlion
Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a wholly owned Ghanaian company was established in 2006 and provides waste management and cleaning services to both public and private entities.
“We first and foremost, seek to satisfy our clients by continuously improving our operations for outmost efficiency while saving cost”. Mr Aguadze stated at the launch of the 10th anniversary celebrations in Koforidua.
Currently, Zoomlion operates in Togo, Liberia, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, among others.
Zoomlion Ghana started its Eastern Regional operations in 2006 with eight core staff. Today, however, the company works for all the 26 municipal and district assemblies and has 198 core staff and 5,501 project staff. The region currently offers janitorial services, door- to-door waste collection service, cesspit services, sale and rental of mobile cabins, Water tanker services, landscaping and beautification and waste evacuation services.