Who Brought Back ZoomLion in Liberia?

Michael T
Jul 16, 2025
3 min read

ZoomLion's Logo

Zoomlion, a Ghanaian waste management company under the Jospong Group, is making a comeback in Liberia’s waste management sector. Banned in September 2013 for two years by the World Bank from working on any World Bank-funded projects in Liberia after admitting to paying bribes to expedite contracts, Zoomlion is noted for its controversial dealings in every country it operates1 2 3. The Auditor General once described it as a fraudulent company rooted in exploitation.

Zoomlion’s reputation in Ghana remains deeply controversial, with a long record of scandals, allegations of corruption, and public outcry over its business practices4 5 6. Recently, after years of investigative pressure and public criticism, Ghana’s former President John Mahama announced in June 2025 that the long-standing Youth Employment Agency (YEA)–Zoomlion contract would not be renewed, citing the need for greater transparency and better compensation for workers5.

Zoomlion has also faced multiple scrutiny reports from Ghana’s Auditor-General, who found instances of fraudulent invoicing, overbilling, and non-delivery of contracted services4 6. Despite receiving tens of millions in government payments, the company struggled to pay frontline sanitation workers on time5.

Zoomlion’s attempted resurgence in Liberia speaks to one thing: the country’s weak oversight and the persistent failure of its institutions to shield the public from discredited operators2 7.

Despite its chequered past, Zoomlion is stealthily brokering its return to Liberia through backdoor negotiations. Sources say company executives have been holding closed-door meetings with senior government officials in Monrovia and Paynesville. They aim to secure lucrative waste management contracts just as the capital faces a worsening sanitation crisis2 7.

Currently, only 29% of Monrovia’s daily waste is collected—an urgent environmental emergency2. But rather than conducting transparent procurement processes or engaging qualified Liberian firms, government insiders appear to be entertaining a company expelled for corruption less than a decade ago2 7.

The question on many minds is not whether Zoomlion can fix the problem, but who in government is allowing them back in the door—and why?

Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County has publicly criticized the company’s return, calling it a dangerous example of institutional failure and warning that it poses a threat to Liberian jobs and transparency in public procurement7.

John H. T. Stewart, a prominent political commentator, has condemned renewed government dealings with Zoomlion, describing the company as “controversial” and noting it has been “previously expelled from other countries for unethical conduct.” Stewart has also questioned the motives of Liberian officials willing to do business with such a tainted firm, warning of “national embarrassment and public distrust”8.

Lofa County Senator Momo Tarnuekollie Cyrus echoed similar sentiments, expressing strong opposition to what he described as “foreign-controlled deals involving companies like Zoomlion,” which he directly linked to unethical and exploitative practices8 9.

Zoomlion’s return, if unchecked, will set a dangerous precedent—that foreign firms with track records of corruption and fraud can simply wait out their sanctions and return, unscathed, to do business as usual in Liberia2 7.

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