The Eco-Conscious Citizens of Ghana has called for the protection of Parks and Gardens lands across the country following a proposal involving three acres of the department’s property at Cantonments in Accra. The group said the land must remain dedicated to horticulture and environmental purposes instead of being converted for other forms of development.
In a press release, the environmental advocacy group disclosed that the Director of Parks and Gardens, Dr Daniel Kingsford Adams, confirmed a proposal by the Ghana Goldbod to construct an “edifice” for the department in exchange for three acres of its Cantonments land. The proposal, according to the group, has been strongly rejected by workers of Parks and Gardens.
The group accentuated that the proposed arrangement raises questions about the protection of lands originally acquired for horticultural development and environmental conservation. It therefore urged the Minister for Local Government, Mahama Ayariga, to ensure that Parks and Gardens lands throughout Ghana are preserved for the purposes for which they were acquired.
Eco-Conscious Citizens also called for a comprehensive audit of all lands belonging to the Department of Parks and Gardens. Such an exercise would help establish the status of the department’s properties and provide a clear basis for protecting them against inappropriate development.
The letter signed by the Executive Director, Madam Awula Serwah linked its position to the environmental pressures facing Ghana, particularly the loss of forests and the reduction of green spaces in urban areas. It argued that the country could not afford to allow lands reserved for horticulture and environmental purposes to be absorbed into developments at a time when natural spaces were already under pressure.
The organisation also placed the issue within Ghana’s historical approach to environmental planning under the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. It noted that land was acquired in regional capitals with the intention of beautifying cities, conserving the environment and developing the country’s horticultural potential.
According to the Executive Director, that vision informed the establishment of the Ministry of Parks and Gardens in 1965. Madam Serwah added that the institution was placed under Cabinet Minister Edmund Nee Ocansey, before the ministry was downgraded to a department following the 1966 coup.
Eco-Conscious Citizens said the historical purpose of Parks and Gardens land should guide present decisions about its use. Consequently, the concerned citizens urged government to protect the department’s holdings and prevent arrangements that could gradually reduce land available for horticulture, conservation and public green development.
Past Land Disputes Deepen Fears Over Parks And Gardens Future
The latest dispute over three acres of Parks and Gardens land at Cantonments comes against a long history of pressure on properties belonging to the department. Previous disputes, proposed developments and reported encroachments have raised repeated questions about whether lands reserved for horticulture and green spaces is receiving adequate protection.
The Cantonments property itself has a documented history that predates Ghana’s independence. According to a press briefing by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2024, the land was acquired by the state in 1894 and was later allocated to the Director of Agriculture in 1952, after which it came under the Department of Parks and Gardens.
Its importance became particularly evident in 2019 when more than 140 trees and about 5,000 flowers and ornamental plants on the Cantonments site were reported to have been destroyed during preparations connected to a proposed office complex. The development triggered opposition from environmental advocates and led to a wider debate over the proposed rezoning and use of the land.
The controversy did not end there, as the government later acknowledged wider challenges involving Parks and Gardens properties. In January 2022, then Local Government Minister Daniel Botwe disclosed that a task force had been established to assess the department’s properties and address encroachment affecting operational sites in Accra, Takoradi, Wa and Tamale.
The situation resurfaced in 2024 when the department faced another dispute at its Cantonments headquarters involving a private real estate developer. Containers were reportedly placed on the property, prompting a confrontation with Parks and Gardens staff, while the department insisted that the land belonged to the state.
A separate dispute also emerged in Wa, where reports indicated that a fuel station was being constructed on land belonging to Parks and Gardens. The developments prompted renewed calls for an audit of the department’s lands and strengthened the argument that the problem extends beyond the Cantonments property.
The significance of these lands goes beyond their ownership status because Parks and Gardens has a direct environmental and horticultural mandate. The department says its work includes landscape beautification, conservation, horticultural development and public education, while its activities also cover landscaping, plant propagation, floristry and maintenance of public spaces.
Green spaces also provide wider environmental benefits in increasingly built-up urban areas. Parks and Gardens officials have previously pointed to the role of vegetation in moderating temperatures and reducing carbon footprints, while trees and plants can also contribute to healthier urban environments.
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