Opinions of Monday, 29 July 2013

Columnist: Daily Post

Let’s save Zoomlion From The Axis Of Evil

There's no doubt that Zoomlion is among the most successful private-owned enterprises in Ghana. Its contribution to the nation is phenomenal especially in a country where waste management is a big problem.

Many have hailed the company for the professional manner in which it conducts its work. The sight of Zoomlion workers going about their duties in the mornings is often a joy to watch.

Unfortunately, the usual Ghanaian attitude of destroying successful indigenous businesses and businessmen has often reared its ugly head against the company. Three agents of destruction can be identified as those that have risen up against Zoomlion over the years. The first is that section of NDC persons who perceive Zoomlion as an NPP company so must be destroyed. In the initial stages of the Mills government, they these group were vocal in their call for government move against the company. The second against is the section in the NPP who believe that Zoomlion is in bed with the NDC so must be crushed.

The third agent is that section of the Ghanaian media who believe that bringing a big business down makes gives them high ratings in the eyes of the public. These three agents are what we describe as the AXIS OF EVIL.

In the aftermath of the GYEEDA investigations and the presentation of the final report to the President, the Axis of Evil have risen up, seeing another opportunity to deal Zoomlin a final blow, sharpened their weapons against the Ghanaian company even though none of them has cited the full report of the investigation. This is what betrays their true intentions. How can you pronounce judgment on somebody when you do not know the full story? We can state authoritatively that the lynch mob that is after zoomlion is only hiding behind the GYEEDA report to destroy the waste management company. Do those who have all these evil intentions care about the fate of the over 20,000 Ghanaians working for and earning their livelihood through Zoomlion? Have these people consider that over 100,000 Ghanaians’ source of livelihood is connected to this company?

In a country like Ghana which has been overwhelmed by filth, what we should be looking forward to do is to establish more Zoomlions. The waste the country generates is a hundred times more than Zoomlion can manage. While we are unable to add even one waste management company, we are trying to kill the only one we have.

The penchant of some Ghanaians to see local businesses destroyed is so sickening. The country’s history of the many private enterprises, from B.A Mensah’s tobacco company to that of Siaw which have collapsed is a bad enough reputation for an investor to want to set up business here.

In the United States of America and other countries, one can identify and list the ten top millionaires. But, one cannot conduct the same exercise here. Any attempt to do so will see all the billionaires and millionaires going underground because they do not want to be destroyed. Imagine that last Saturday, a panelist on radio says he does not understand why Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong should be awarded a doctorate degree by the KNUST. But, does this man know what it entails in establishing, owning and managing a business and a big one like zoomlion? Does he think the height the that company has reached was overnight? -- The heights which greet men reached and kept was not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their colleagues were asleep, were toiling upwards in the night.

The Daily Post is not by any chance saying Zoomlion should not be held guilty if they are really guilty. Our point is that there is an Axiz of evil after Zoomlion for various reasons.

They have not seen the full report but have found the Waste Management company guilty. President Mahama ought to protect Zoomlion from these Axis of evil. If the company is guilty of any act of malfeasance, by all means let them be punished; but they should not be punished just to satisfy the Axis of Evil. And while we are at it, Ghana and Ghanaians must learn to appreciate and celebrate successful businesses and businessmen.