History
The department was established in 1961 by the enactment of the Local Government Act 54. In 1965, the Department was given a Ministerial status and was known as the Ministry of Parks and Gardens and Tourism. In 1966, it was reverted to a Department under the Department of Forestry. It then came under different Ministries between the year 1970 to 2000 namely Works and Housing, Local Government and Rural Development and Environment and Science.
Currently, the Department is under Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Mandate
The Department draws its mandate from the 1992 constitution and section 12 of the PNDCL 327 which provides the responsibilities and establishes the Department. The mandate of the department was found to be adequate and relevant which is ‘to improve rapid development of horticultural potential of our urban and rural sectors of the country.’
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Vision
The vision for the Department is “to establish a well-respected National Institution with progressive growth in our core and non-core mandates with the view of achieving higher standards in environmental beautification, horticultural policy development and sustainability through operational efficiency, professional and ethical conduct”.
The Department will strive to provide excellent service to MDA’s, Governmental Institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), and the citizenry at large.
Mission
The department of Parks and Gardens exist to facilitate the rapid development of the horticultural potential of Ghana, for the benefit of her people through public education, effective landscape beautification, maintenance programme and conservationthrough competent staff and technology.
Functions
- To develop and promote effective landscape beautification in our Cities, Towns and in the individual homes (Home Gardens).
- To maintain and sustain all landscaped areas on our roads medians, road shoulders and all roundabouts in the Cities and Towns.
- The cultivation of horticultural products including vegetables, fruit tree seedlings and ornamental plants for sale to the public (IGF)
- The department provides Horticultural training and extension services to students and pupils from the Universities and the Second cycle Institutions
- The department has floristry sections in our nurseries throughout the country where wreaths, weddings bouquets are produced for sale to the Public
- The routine maintenance of Prestige areas in our Cities and Towns, maintenance of all ten (10) R.C.C grounds, maintenance of Castle Gardens, State House Gardens, Flagstaff House and Peduase Lodge.
- The cultivation and conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants. We also identify and multiply rare an threatened plants species
- Supply tree seedlings to educational institutions free, thus encouraging tree planting
- The department also runs a Guest House at Aburi Botanical Gardens which is one of the tourist Centers in Ghana
