Madam Esther Cobbah (M) with some officials
Stakeholders at the 2025 Ghana Garden and Flower Show have called for the expansion and preservation of green spaces, especially in urban areas across the country, to help improve public health.
The call was made during the ongoing 2025 Ghana Garden and Flower Show, which opened on Saturday, September 20 to Sunday, September 28, under the theme “Urban Places, Green Spaces” at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra.
Participants at the event include horticultural entrepreneurs, flower exhibitors, logistics providers, and environmentalists from various parts of the country.
Since its inception in 2013, the Ghana Garden and Flower Show has become a key platform for promoting sustainable urban development through gardening, landscaping, and climate-conscious practices.
According to organisers, the show which started with only 14 exhibitors and 1,400 visitors now attracts nearly 100 exhibitors and over 28,000 visitors during the week-long celebration.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th edition, Chief Executive of Stratcomm Africa and Lead Convener of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, Esther Cobbah, emphasised the wide appeal and relevance of green spaces.
She attributed the show’s consistent growth and impact to three key pillars: relevance, relationships, and resilience, describing them as the foundations that have sustained the movement for over a decade.
Madam Cobbah further called for stronger collaboration with corporate organisations, especially those known for decorating urban spaces with festive lighting.
Her appeal went beyond government and corporate actions, extending to individual responsibility. She called on Ghanaians to take environmental stewardship seriously, especially in tackling urban flooding and see urban greening as an important element for the survival of society rather than beauty.
Secretary-General of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), Mohamed Nasheed, also highlighted Ghana’s potential to benefit from carbon credit markets through its Climate Prosperity Plan.
Director of Corporate Affairs at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Audrey Quarcoo, commended businesses that are already embracing clean energy and recycling, urging people, especially schools, to establish garden clubs to instill environmental values in students from an early age.