Ghana's Flower Show Aims to Create Green Jobs for Youth

Young Ghanaians looking for meaningful work now have a colorful new option: flowers can pay the bills.

The 14th Ghana Garden and Flower Show kicks off September 12 at Efua Sutherland Children's Park in Accra. The 10-day event will connect growers, businesses, and policymakers to explore how horticulture and floriculture can become serious career paths.

This year's theme says it all: "Green Means Business, Beauty and More." Organizers want young people to see green spaces as more than pretty decorations. They're opportunities for entrepreneurship and stable income.

Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Senior Presidential Adviser, launched the program with a powerful message. She told youth that acquiring skills in floriculture could help them start their own businesses and contribute to Ghana's development.

Mogtari shared a compelling example from Singapore's Botanical Gardens, where officials named an orchid after President Mahama. That gesture showed how green initiatives create both national pride and international recognition while driving economic growth.

The Ripple Effect

The Ghana Garden and Flower Movement has spent 13 years changing how Ghanaians view environmental work. What started as beautification has blossomed into a full economic sector.

Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa, explained that green businesses deliver triple value. They create jobs, build healthier communities, and strengthen livelihoods all at once.

The movement positions horticulture and floriculture as serious contributors to Ghana's economy, not hobby industries. Young people who invest time learning these skills gain access to growing markets both locally and internationally.

The show will bring together everyone needed to make this vision real: experienced growers who can teach, businesses ready to hire, and development partners with resources to invest. Policymakers will also attend to discuss how government can support the sector's growth.

For Ghana's youth facing limited job options, flower cultivation offers something rare: work that's good for the planet, profitable, and filled with potential.