Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged Ghana to make greening an integral part of urban development, saying trees, gardens and green spaces should be planned alongside other infrastructure.
She said the rapid expansion of Ghana’s cities made it necessary for environmental considerations to be integrated into development planning rather than addressed after projects had been completed.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made the call at the opening of the 14th edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show.
She said the recent floods had highlighted the consequences of environmental neglect, particularly the effects of plastics and household waste clogging drains and waterways.
Although efforts to prevent waste from entering drains and waterways must be intensified, the country also needed to pay greater attention to expanding trees, gardens and green spaces as communities grew.
“Keeping Ghana clean and making Ghana greener are part of the same responsibility. That means keeping waste out of our drains and waterways, but it also means giving greater thought to trees, gardens and green spaces,” she said.
The Vice President said investing in green spaces could improve the quality of residential and commercial areas while creating opportunities for Ghanaian businesses and professionals in landscaping, horticulture and related services.
She said the growing demand for greener urban spaces could also provide opportunities for local producers to develop their capacity and explore export markets.
“Greening should therefore not be something we consider after development. Greening should be part of development itself,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang called on local authorities, property developers and businesses to incorporate green spaces into development projects and help create sustained demand for locally produced horticultural products and services.
She also encouraged Ghanaian producers to strengthen their capacity to meet the emerging market, improve quality and position themselves to take advantage of opportunities beyond the domestic market.
The Vice President said a greener approach to development would not only support environmental sustainability but also contribute to better living spaces and new economic opportunities for businesses and communities.
