Access Bank (Ghana) Plc has expanded its “A Sandal More for a Better Tomorrow” initiative to northern Ghana, combining support for school attendance with the recycling of discarded vehicle tyres.
Under the fourth phase of the programme, the bank will distribute 10,000 pairs of sandals and school bags to children in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah regions.
The initiative was launched at the Nyankpala D/A Junior High School near Tamale, where some pupils received sandals as part of the programme.
Executive Director of Retail and SME Banking at Access Bank (Ghana) Plc, Eugene Ocansey, said the expansion was driven by the need to address barriers that prevent children from attending school while also contributing to environmental sustainability.
“For this fourth phase, we are bringing the initiative to northern Ghana for the first time because school attendance gaps here are much higher than in the rest of the country,” he said.
Mr Ocansey explained that the programme was inspired by instances where children missed school because they lacked basic footwear, while discarded vehicle tyres continued to accumulate along roadsides.
“This initiative was born from a simple observation. Children were missing school over something as basic as footwear while used car tyres were being dumped or burned along our roads,” he said.
According to him, the programme demonstrates how an environmental challenge can be linked to an educational need to create a wider social impact.
“For the country, the return on investment is clear. A child in school is a child building a future for their family and community,” he said.
31,000 sandals already distributed
Mr Ocansey disclosed that the first three phases of the initiative had resulted in the distribution of 31,000 pairs of sandals to schoolchildren across Ghana.
He said the bank remained committed to using its business activities to support sustainable development and address social challenges.
“Access Bank (Ghana) Plc remains committed to leading as a flag bearer of sustainable and purpose driven business,” he stated.
He expressed appreciation to partners, including Rana Motors, Horseman Shoes and the Ghana Education Service, for supporting the programme and helping to distribute the footwear to beneficiaries.
Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John, whose speech was read by the Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, commended the bank and its partners for extending the initiative to the region.
He urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the sandals, describing them as more than a donation.
“To see them as more than a gift but as a symbol of a partnership that believes in a better tomorrow for the north,” he said.
The Northern Regional Directorate of Education also welcomed the initiative, with its representative, Andani Zakaria Abdullai, Head of Planning at the Regional Education Office, expressing appreciation to Access Bank and its partners.
He said the intervention would help children remain in school and contribute to developing future leaders.
The Chief of Nyankpala, Nyab Nyankpal-Lana, also thanked the bank and its partners for supporting children in the community.
