"Don't confer any seriousness on such ill-educated publications" - Zoomlion On A-G's Report

Waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has called on Ghanaians not to confer any seriousness on reports in the media which seek to tarnish the image of the company.

The story which emanates from the website www.myjoyonline.com, and has been replicated on a number of other news portals, says the Auditor-General has described the company as a fraudulent company that has caused a drain on the scarce resources of Ghana.

But reacting to the story, the Communication Directorate of the company said the tone of the publication is laced with “mischief”, actuated by “malice” and calculated to lower the standing of the company and injure the hard-earned reputation of Zoomlion.

“The supplementary reply filed by the Auditor General on April 23, 2019 had not been served on the Company as at May 14, 2019 when the matter was called in Court. We therefore wish to restate our position, that we reject such labels in their entirety and urge the public not to confer any seriousness on such ill-educated publications”, it stated.  

The company also called on the media to be circumspect in their reportage, “we will encourage some of our Media collaborators to be circumspect in their reportage and avoid gleeful attempts to twist and spin delicate matters with the intention to prejudge cases, and court cheap popularity for themselves”.  

Below is the full statement:
RE: Auditor-General Describes Zoomlion As 'Fraudulent, Drain On Country'

Management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited has taken due notice of a publication, circulating in some sections of the media, captured under the banner headline “Auditor-General describes Zoomlion as 'fraudulent, drain on country.

The story, mainly  emanates from the website  (www.myjoyonline.com), and is replicated on a number of other news portals. The article, purports to derive its content from a reply filed by the Lawyers for the Auditor General in response to an appeal filed by Zoomlion against the Auditor General’s decision to surcharge and disallow certain payments made to Zoomlion Ghana Limited in respect of contracts the Company had executed.

We wish to state that the tone of the publication is laced with mischief, actuated by malice and calculated to lower the standing of the company and injure the hard-earned reputation of Zoomlion.

For the record, Zoomlion Ghana Limited has always co-operated with audits into its operations by statutory bodies. It is common practice, however, for organizations to disagree with the outcomes of an audit report – when they strongly believe that it fails to reflect the reality.

Drawing inspiration from the preceding point, Zoomlion Ghana Limited is in Court against the Auditor General. The purported reply on which the (www.myjoyonline) story relies, is at best an expression of opinion by the Auditor General’s Lawyers and not a statement of fact. Until the High Court determines otherwise, it remains an OPINION.

It therefore lies ill and mischievous in the judgement of any media house to project such an OPINION as accurate and seek to use same as a basis to describe Zoomlion in such objectionable and repulsive terms.

The supplementary reply filed by the Auditor General on April 23, 2019 had not been served on the Company as at May 14, 2019 when the matter was called in Court. We therefore wish to restate our position, that we reject such labels in their entirety and urge the public not to confer any seriousness on such ill-educated publications.  

As a brand which shares a constructive working relationship with the Media across Ghana, we strive to build bridges. We are also not oblivious of the fact that the public has a right to know, and the Media is the channel through which that right is enjoyed.

However, we will encourage some of our Media collaborators to be circumspect in their reportage and avoid gleeful attempts to twist and spin delicate matters with the intention to prejudge cases, and court cheap popularity for themselves.  

We wish to reaffirm our belief in the judicial process and we will uphold our position for the entirety of this case.  

Zoomlion remains determined in purging Ghana of filth, and will continue the ambitious drive of providing integrated waste management solutions, and investing heavily to bridge the waste infrastructure gap and create employment

Issued:   15th May,2019

Communication Directorate

Zoomlion