Zoomlion Ghana Ltd., has refuted claims that the Volta River Authority has contracted it to fumigate areas affected by the Akosombo dam spillage.
In a press release copied to BusinessWeek, the company said the said publication titled “Ibrahim Mahama, Zoomlion, and Serious Questions for VRA, was misleading and sort to tarnish the company’s hard earned reputation.
We want to emphasize that Zoomlion has not been contracted by VRA to undertake any fumigation activities in the said affected areas, as claimed by Mr. Awuni. His allegations are baseless and lack any factual basis. It is disheartening that in his pursuit of sensationalism and cheap popularity, Mr. Awuni, has chosen to misrepresent the facts,” the statement said.
According to the company, it is rather Zoomlion that announced during a donation of relief items to victims of the Akosombo dam spillage in the Volta region that it will, as part of efforts to help the victims, fumigate and disinfect the save havens and the flood areas at no cost to prevent the spread of disease.
Below is the full detail release.
The attention of the Management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited has been drawn to a report on social media dubbed “Ibrahim Mahama, Zoomlion, and Serious Questions for VRA,”, which story seek to suggest that Zoomlion Ghana Limited has been contracted by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to undertake fumigation of the lower Volta areas affected by the recent controlled spillage from the Akosombo Dam.
Management categorically refutes this misleading, false and unfounded assertions by one Manasseh Azure Awuni, who has for the past 10 years sought to level various allegations against Zoomlion to no avail. This recent publication is a demonstration of Manasseh’s clear disregard for journalistic integrity and professional ethics as is expected of a person of his calibre.
We want to emphasize that Zoomlion has not been contracted by VRA to undertake any fumigation activities in the said affected areas, as claimed by Mr. Awuni. His allegations are baseless and lack any factual basis. It is disheartening that in his pursuit of sensationalism and cheap popularity, Mr. Awuni, has chosen to misrepresent the facts.
On Monday 23rd October 2023, Zoomlion Ghana Limited led by its Executives and Management presented a number of relief items worth over 500,000 cedis to the victims of the spillage. Additonally, a sister company, Ecozoil also donated almost 500 life jackets to the media and rescue team supporting the situation on the ground. At the same presentation event, the company in addition to the items presented, announced its intention to also fumigate the areas once the water had subsided.
It is therefore regrettable that Mr. Awuni has chosen to overlook these notable humanitarian efforts undertaken by Zoomlion and its sister companies in support of the flood victims. A gesture which was widely covered by various media outlets, yet Mr. Awuni chose to disregard these facts and propagate misleading information, and peddle his usual falsehood against the one company that has been at the forefront of keeping Ghana clean, green and health, and this is deeply concerning.
Management wishes to challenge Mr. Awuni to provide evidence to substantiate his claims and allegations regarding the alleged contract awarded to our company. We remain unwavering in our commitment to upholding our corporate social responsibility and providing steadfast support to the communities in the Volta Region and in other way to our mother Ghana, despite the unwarranted distractions caused by such baseless accusations.
We want to reassure all stakeholders that our dedication to serving and uplifting communities remains resolute, and we will continue to prioritize the well-being and support of those in need, irrespective of such false allegations.
