The Executive Director of the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre, Ruka Sanusi, has charged women entrepreneurs in the green economy to be climate responsive.
In a dispensation where the world continues to struggle to deal with the negative implications of climate change, she said it was important for women, especially those operating the green economy value chain, to bring their change-maker abilities to bear.
Delivering a keynote address at the official launch of the 11th edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show (GGFS) in Accra, Ms. Sanusi said in today’s world, smart corporations and businesses are thinking about how to integrate climate responsiveness into their strategies and operations in order to propel growth.
The event was themed ‘The importance of collaborating to combat climate change and the role of innovative solutions and fostering sustainability.
She said climate financing has become a mantra in the world and for businesses to thrive, they must be climate responsive.
“Consider the number of climate summits the world hosts every year. Consider how climate change is changing financing. In my everyday world, I always hear about climate finance. For any business now to grow the long haul whether the legal business, banking, insurance, agriculture, energy and mining, you must be climate responsive,” she advised.
Ms. Sanusi, therefore, charged women to take up the call of climate mitigation actions by playing lead roles in their various endeavours.
Similarly, she encouraged them to “network, cooperate, seek help, join the Ghana Climate Innovations, and ensure they offer the world their best”.
A Resident Representative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Angela Lusigi, commended the efforts of Stratcom Africa, the initiators of the GGFS.
She spoke about how her organisation is supporting young entrepreneurs in the small and medium enterprises industry to integrate climate actions.
“In Ghana, we are already working with young entrepreneurs. We very much believe in the future of micro, small and medium enterprises. We are helping them to be able to integrate climate action in what they’re doing, whether it’s energy efficiency or growing sustainable agribusinesses,” she said.
Deliberating on how to finance the activities of climate action, she emphasised the need for strong partnerships, adding that they are working with the government to mobilise some funds.
“Everything costs money. To be able to implement all these activities around climate action, we definitely need stronger partnerships; and those partnerships need to be able to mobilise resources. So we’re working with the government to be able to mobilise climate funds to invest in all the activities around energy efficiency,” she explained.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa and Convener of GGFS, Esther A.N. Cobbah, noted that the country is blessed with rich vegetation that individuals and businesses can leverage to earn extra money while tackling climate change.
“I know many young exhibitors who are exporting and earning foreign exchange into their pockets, not somebody else’s pocket. So the youth can look at the different aspects of the floriculture– the floriculture value chain – and see where they can fit. Currently, digital is really useful in floriculture; therefore, find out what you can do with your digital skills.”
Turning her attention to the event, Ms. Cobbah asked citizens to join the movement, be part of exhibitors at the show, and together “with one vision, make Ghana greener, cleaner, healthier, wealthier, more beautiful”.
GGFS
The 2023 GGFS marks the 11th edition of the show since its inception, and is slated for August 30 – September 3, 2023 at the Afua Sutherland Park, Accra on the theme ‘Green Fusion: Collaborating for Climate Action’.
GGFS is a flagship event of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, initiated by Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa). The movement serves as a platform to drive behavioural change in relation to environmental sustainability.
Activities lined up for the event include a conference, masterclass, educative and fun programmes – such as karaoke night, movie night, fashion on the park and many more.
