Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister, Mahama Ayariga, has proposed a partnership with banks and other corporate institutions to adopt, maintain and beautify stretches of roads across the country.

Under the proposal, companies would take responsibility for designated stretches of roads in areas where they operate, funding the planting and maintenance of trees, grass, flowers and other forms of greenery.

In return, Mr Ayariga says the companies could be given the opportunity to brand the streets they maintain as part of a structured corporate social responsibility initiative.

He made the proposal at a meeting with heads of banks at the Bank of Ghana, where he called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to improve Ghana’s urban environment.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Ayariga said the proposal is intended to scale up what some financial institutions already do by adopting and beautifying selected spaces, particularly during festive periods.

“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,” he said.

The Minister proposed that the initiative should not be limited to banks, but should be opened to all companies that can afford to adopt a stretch of road.

He said the government would work with the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and the Urban Roads Directorate to determine the design and standards for the streets.

According to Mr Ayariga, companies could adopt different lengths of roads depending on their operations and geographical presence.

He suggested that a bank could maintain several kilometres in Greater Accra, shorter stretches in the Ashanti Region and at least one kilometre in regional capitals where it operates.

He also proposed that companies incorporate the initiative into their annual budgets to ensure sustained maintenance.

Mr Ayariga believes the programme could create jobs for young people while expanding opportunities for parks and gardens workers and private contractors.

He further argued that a cleaner and greener urban environment could enhance Ghana’s attractiveness to tourists and improve the country’s overall image.

“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,” he said.

The Minister also suggested that companies that maintain roads could be permitted to associate their brands with the streets.

Using the Obasanjo Highway as an example, he argued that if a company was willing to finance the maintenance of the road, its brand could be added to the existing name.

He said he would engage the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Association of Bankers to develop a roadmap for implementation if the banking industry agrees to the proposal.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to encourage the private sector to contribute to environmental improvement and the development and maintenance of public spaces.