Zoomlion’s CEO is Doctor of Literature

BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

Joseph Siaw Agyepong being congratulated by the Asantehene Otumfuo osei Tutu II after the doctorate degree was conferred on him.

The Chief Executive Officer of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has been awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), at a special Congregation in Kumasi, which also coincided with the 60^th anniversary celebration of the University.

A citation accompanying the honour read by Prof. Samuel Afrane, Provost of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, described Mr. Agyepong as a distinguished statesman who has made phenomenal contributions to environmental sanitation and higher education in the country.

Prof. Afrane further said that through ingenuity, sterling leadership, business acumen and entrepreneurship, Mr. Agyepong has transformed the sanitation and waste management landscape of Ghana and other African Countries where Zoomlion has subsidiaries such as Angola, Togo, Liberia, Zambia and Equatorial Guinea.  

“You are credited with the establishment of the $25 million ACCRA COMPOST AND RECYCLING PLANT which seeks to save the environment,” he said, adding, “In recognition of your phenomenal contribution to sanitation and waste management in Ghana; your public –spiritedness; and your support for Higher Education and Research, the University, on the Occasion of its 60^th Anniversary and Founders’ Day, confers on you, DOCTOR OF LITERATURE, honours causa – D Litt, hc” Prof. Afrane stated.

Mr. Agyepong, who also heads the Jospong Group of Companies, received the award alongside six others namely: His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kwadwo Appiah Turkson, President, Pontificial Council for Justice and Peace in the Vatican, Rome Italy, His Excellency Sir (Dr.) Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, Nigeria; Mr. Paul Effah, former Head of the National Council for Tertiary Education, Mr. K. Frimpong, Chief Executive Officer of Champion Divine Clinic and Prof.  Naresh V. Thevathasan and Prof. Imelda  Bates respectively.

In an interview after the ceremony, Mr. Agyepong said he has always pursued excellence in all that he does including refuse collection activities.

He said he was greatly humbled by the conferment of the doctorate degree.

Describing it as a starting point in his career as an entrepreneur, Mr. Agyepong pledged to do more for the country and encouraged all and sundry to develop entrepreneurial spirit that will push the nation forward.

“No one was created as a liability, each individual irrespective of your circumstances can do a lot to help the country,” he said.

Mr. Agyepong called for public support for waste separation, composting and recycling activities, especially the Composting and Recycling Plant at Medie and said it will go a long way to promote clean and healthy environment for all Ghanaians and people who visit the country.

Established in January 2006, one of Mr. Agyepong’s companies, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has excelled in its area of operation and has previously been awarded by the Ghana Government, Millennium Excellence Foundation, Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana, The Times of Africa Magazine Based in India among others.

Born some 40 years ago, Mr. Agyepong was initially trained as an electrical engineer by an Accra based Technical Institute; he however abandoned his dreams of becoming a pilot and went into business. He was recently awarded by Ernst and Young West Africa as a finalist in its Master’s Category Annual Competition.