Something needs to be done about these eyesores!
Travelling on the Accra-Sunyani route last week, I was reminded of one of my pet peeves, the state of the greenery and flowers in our cities and towns – or rather their absence and the shameful untidiness of the place where they exist.
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A notable example is the lack of attention given the central reservations or traffic islands.
The unsightly picture presented by the median strips we passed on the journey, brought to mind what I wrote two years ago on this issue. As far as I can see nothing has changed; no one seems to be bothered about the ugliness. However, the unkempt central reservations are a disgrace, eyesores, and something needs to done about them!
Interestingly, there is now an annual Garden and Flower Show, described as the flagship activity of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement and spearheaded by Esther Cobbah, Chief Executive of STRATCOM Africa. The fourth takes place next month.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s show in Accra a couple of weeks ago, Ms Cobbah spoke about the need to “whip up the interest of Ghanaians to maintain positive attitudes towards gardening and flowers”.
Perhaps Ms Cobbah and the Flower Movement should first, or equally, aim at getting local governments, the Metropolitan and District Chief Executives to take an interest in their traffic islands, which they doubtlessly come across EVERY SINGLE DAY.
If, for a start, they could get those officials to spruce up the very visible unsightly traffic islands in their areas they could then be their key allies in achieving the Movement’s very laudable, horticultural aims.
The following is an abridged version of the August 15, 2014 column:
