The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, says the government will assign streets in major cities to private businesses, move property rate collection entirely online, and build engineered landfill sites across the country.
Mr Ayariga made the announcements on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at his first Government Accountability Series briefing.
He said an exercise has begun to assign streets in the major capital cities to businesses such as banks, manufacturers, construction firms, logistics companies, and insurers. The companies would take responsibility for rebuilding, redeveloping, and maintaining the streets. In return, they could have the streets renamed after them or share names with existing named personalities, and would get advertising rights along them.
He said the first report on the scheme was expected that day from the Chief Executive of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and the National Urban Roads Director. The participation details are due for President John Dramani Mahama’s approval by the following week, after which the scheme will be launched.
Mr Ayariga said the President has also directed him to develop an Inner City Big Push Initiative, with the Minister for Roads, Kwame Governs Agbodza, and the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson. It is meant to deliver paved streets, walkways, drainage, street lighting, and greenery in every city neighbourhood. He said it would be funded largely by a reconfigured property rate regime and betterment charges, with government support. The President will announce the full details later.
The Minister described the current property rates system as marked by inefficiencies and corruption, with some money paid ending up “in private pockets.” He said the government would introduce a centrally controlled collection mechanism that removes cash payments entirely. Payments would be made only through MTN MoMo and electronic bank transfers.
On sanitation, Mr Ayariga said the Finance Minister is awaiting costings for engineered landfill sites in all regional capitals, including three in Greater Accra, and for waste transfer stations in every Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly (MMDA). He said households would eventually fund the investment by paying for waste collection through an automated system. The government hopes to create at least 20,000 permanent jobs in waste management and the circular economy.
Mr Ayariga said the President is satisfied with the initial success of the trial contraflow system for the Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit buses. A stakeholder meeting is scheduled in his office on Thursday, 8 October 2026, to review the trials. The Minister said contraflow “has come to stay” until other mobility options are developed.
He also said the government plans to increase funding for the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs, including through the Common Fund Formula, to help them settle chieftaincy disputes faster.
The Minister said GH¢9.1 billion, covering six quarters of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), has been transferred to MMDAs. He said the government is committed to disbursing not less than 88 per cent of the fund.
He reported that 397 of 566 CHPS compounds and health centres, 502 of 761 classroom blocks, 3,081 of 4,029 boreholes, and 97 of 134 small-town water projects have been completed.
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