By Elham Salifu
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has called on commercial banks and corporate organizations across the country to adopt, maintain, and landscape major stretches of roads in a nationwide push to enhance urban spaces.
Under the proposed public-private framework, businesses would take financial responsibility for designated road corridors in their areas of operation, funding the planting and continuous care of trees, lawns, and green spaces. In return, participating companies would be allowed to brand the streets they maintain as part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) drive.
Pitching the plan during a strategic meeting with senior banking executives at the Bank of Ghana, Mr. Ayariga encouraged financial institutions to scale up existing localized beautification efforts into long-term infrastructure maintenance.
“I come this morning basically to suggest to you that is it possible for us to scale up what you are already doing, which is in sort of a small location that I see you take up and then try to beautify and brand,” Mr. Ayariga said.
The Ministry plans to collaborate with the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and the Urban Roads Directorate to establish nationwide design standards and operational guidelines. Under the proposal, corporate entities would integrate maintenance allocations into their annual budgets, adopting varying distances based on their financial capacity and regional footprint.
Mr. Ayariga noted that widespread adoption of the model could transform the country’s urban landscape while generating local employment.
“Ultimately if everybody took a stretch, not just banks but all companies in the country, everybody took a stretch, the entire country would look beautiful,” the Minister emphasized.
Addressing branding incentives, Mr. Ayariga suggested that participating companies could co-brand major thoroughfares while retaining original landmark names, pointing to prominent national routes as potential models.
“Using the Obasanjo Highway as an example, if a company is willing to finance the maintenance of the road, its brand could be added to the existing name,” he added.
The Minister confirmed he will engage with the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Association of Bankers to outline a structured implementation roadmap if the banking industry endorses the proposal. Government officials believe the project will stimulate youth employment, support public and private horticulture sectors, and boost national tourism.
