The Five-day innovative Ghana Garden and Flower Show ended on 14th September 2015 at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra.
The show with the theme, “The World is Your Garden” brought together florists, real estate developers, potters, landscapers, sculptors, Garden Furniture retailers, researches, operators in the financial sector among many others.
Some key activities included an exhibition, workshops, a business networking session and a conference with the theme Garden & Flower for Life. The Ghana Garden & Flower Clubs and Awards were also launched.
This year’s show attracted various experts from academia and the horticulture industry who taught and trained participants through activities titled The ABCs of gardening, the potter’s hands class and Tire Seat Workshop among others.
The show also included some fun activities such as a Jazz night, party in the park, fashion extravaganza, a children’s playground and a food court.
Dr. Juliette Tuakli, a renowned Medical Doctor and award winning Horticulturist, launched the Ghana Garden and Flower Awards and clubs, which preceded the closing ceremony.
She observed the increasing participation of exhibitors at the Garden & Flower show and the clear enthusiasm of the public for this year’s show, which confirms that the Garden & Flower Movement is really catching on in Ghana.
She congratulated those who won awards this year, the very first awards since the inception of the Ghana Garden & Flower Show and hoped that others will be inspired to improve on their gardens.
Award winners included Jane Banning of Bedford Floral in Kumasi, Mr. Kwesi Acheampong, Juliet Edwards, Rattray Park in Kumasi, Lincoln Community School, Movenpic Ambassador Hotel, Labadi Beach Hotel, and Action Chapel International Church.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Director of Parks and Gardens, Mr. Ishmael Nii Adjei Browne said the Department is proud to be associated with the show.
He recognized that the department alone cannot achieve its mandate and was particularly excited about Stratcomm Africa’s efforts in getting Ghanaians and Africans to think ‘green’.
Ms. Esther A.N. Cobbah, Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa and PR Personality of the Year 2013 was optimistic about the future of Ghana’s Floriculture and Horticulture industry as a source of income to boost Ghana’s economy.
Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuje, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, who chaired the closing ceremony, said that the Ghana Garden and Flower show aligns with the ministry’s vision of making the environment clean and urged Ghanaians to adopt an attitude of nurturing and protecting the environment.
One of the important highlights of this year’s show was the involvement of Dr. Sally Kosgei, a renowned Kenyan Horticulturists. She left Ghanaians with a clear message that it is worth investing in the flower industry.
“There are approximately 5 million people directly employed in this industry and five million more who are indirectly employed in different areas of the flower industry value chain such as transport, cold chain, airport services, documentation among others.
Her Excellency Tove Degnbol, Danish Ambassador to Ghana, opened the show on Thursday 10th September 2015. The embassy featured a Danish Pavilion, which exhibited Danish horticultural and floricultural related products and services.
Members of the Diplomatic corps, government officials, and heads of institutions, exhibitors, flower and garden enthusiasts, and the media attended the closing ceremony.
This year’s event was sponsored by Access Bank (Lead sponsor), Citi FM (Lead Media Sponsor) Regimanuel Gray Estates, Lema Press, Unique Floral Lifebuoy, UT Life, AFGRI, Indomie and Coca Cola.
Other sponsors included Topp Core Security, EDAIF, Polytank, DDP outdoor, Tropical Cables, HFC Bank, Fan Milk, Ghana Home Loans, Slamson Ghana Ltd, IBF Ghana and Bel Aqua, Nomadik, Koko King, IBF, Slamson Ghana, Star Assurance, Movenpick Ambassador Hotel and Kenya Airways.
Media partners included: Business Day, Ghana News Agency, Uniiq FM, Metro TV, TV3, TV Africa, Citi FM, Sunny FM, Radio Gold, Agoo Magazine, Ghanaian Times Newspaper, The Finder, Daily Dispatch, Searchlight, Ghanaian Observer, New Crusading Guide, Insight, The Enquirer, Business and Financial Times, Atinka FM, NewsGhana, Modern Ghana and Exigency Ghana.
