Our disinfection and fumigation exercises are purely CSR - Zoomlion rebuts distractive media men

Managing Director of Vectorpes a member of the Jospong Group of Companies, Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Kwame Addai, has asked corporate Ghana to disregard the palpable lies being peddled by one Manasseh Azure Awuni a journalist whose article was published by a cross-section of the media under the heading "Ibrahim Mahama, Zoomlion, and Serious Questions for VRA,". He said they are baseless and without a factual basis to stand on.

Dr. Addai was addressing the media in Bator, the district capital of the North Tongu District Assembly during one of their disinfection and fumigation parades today.

He said Zoomlion and the Jospong Group have corporate social responsibility as one of their core mandates and that is the reason why at any point in time some sections of Ghanaians are in a bad state, the company falls in to stand with the people. He cited the company's proactiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Apeate Gas explosion, and many others.

On Monday 23rd October 2023, Zoomlion Ghana Limited led by its Executives and Management presented several relief items worth over 500,000 cedis to the victims of the spillage.

A sister company, Ecozoil Limited also donated almost 500 life jackets to the media and rescue team supporting the situation on the ground. At the same presentation event, the Managing Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs. Gloria Opoku Anti, in addition to the items presented announced the company’s preparedness to also fumigate the affected areas once the water had finally receded.

Dr. Addai therefore asked the question "Where lies the allegation that we had a contract from VRA to undertake a fumigation exercise?".

Due to the announcement that was made by our MD, VRA called on Saturday to say that the water had receded in parts of the affected area and we confirmed from key players on the ground and rushed to the venue as we were told some of the victims were returning home already and then some sycophantic elements in the media fell in to feed fat and conclude that we were contracted to carry out such exercise so what happen to our MD's promise?

"We are aware that the writer of the story Mr. Awuni indicated that we have a contract with the assemblies to do fumigation already and another with the Ministry of Health on disinfection but he doesn't know that all contracts have scope.

Our mandate with the assembly is to do disinfestation at public toilets, refuse spots, communal container sites and some selected other places every quarter under the supervision of the Environmental Health Officers in the assemblies.

Again our contract with the Ministry of Health is on malaria control so we do lavaeciding and disinfection of stagnant waters and bushes within the communities. These are completely different from fumigation.

He said they are not the same.

Dr. Addai said when you fumigate it takes well over 5 hours for occupancy and after disinfestation and disinfection only 30 minutes is required for occupancy so where are the concocted lies coming from?

"As media, you do not know everything, so what you do is to ask, don't go about peddling falsehood against a brand that has stood the weather all this while and this has persisted for well over 10 years now. That is wickedness, isn't it?" he quizzed.

Zoomlion and its subsidiaries will continue to disinfect and fumigate the areas to ensure that it is safe for the residents to occupy it alongside the water recession, the vector MD noted.

We will not be distracted by any wicked or unprofessional journalism, we will continue to work for a better Ghana.