Let Us Promote The Use Of Local Flowers - Minister

Mr Michael Yaw Gyato, the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, has called on Ghanaians to promote the use of local flowers to create job opportunities and generate revenue in the sector.

He urged the public to take responsibility of transforming the environment by promoting the cultivation of flowers to contribute to the improvement of living standards of Ghanaians.

The Minister made the call at the seventh Ghana Garden and Flower Show in Accra, organized by Strategic Communication Africa on the theme, “Be the Change”.

The show brings together players in the floriculture industry to showcase Ghana’s flora and fauna and their commercial, aesthetic, environmental, and health benefits.

Mr Gyato said flowers play an important role in the horticulture industry by removing carbon dioxide and toxins in the air and as well add depth and interest to landscape.

Traditionally, flowers at funerals bring a sense of peace and beauty to a sad occasion and also play an integral role in wedding designs.

The Minister said the sector would help in contributing to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 15 on life on land, which encouraged all and sundry to plant trees and help protect the environment.

Mr Gyato said in a quest to protect the environment from indiscriminate disposal of waste, the Ministry encouraged and implemented the waste segregation and the re-use of waste aimed at zero landfill.

He said government had launched a $53.9 million sanitation and livelihood support project for 11 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to provide about 7,000 toilets to households, to eradicate open defecation and save the environment for other services like planting flowers.

He commended organizers for sustaining the initiative to improve cleaner, wealthier, healthier, and more beautiful environment.