Mrs Perpetual Adokoh, Western Regional Director of Department of Parks and Gardens has observed that continual usage of pavement blocks and concrete in many homes could worsen rising temperatures at night. She said flowers and ornamental plants apart from beautifying the landscape could also reduce effects of the sun and heat during the night and ward off reptiles. Mrs Adokoh speaking to Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Takoradi, said most landlords had stopped planting trees, shrubs, flowers and other leafy plants in their homes and communities that had resulted in soil erosion and many roofs being ripped off by wind storms. She therefore appealed to Ghanaians to begin planting flowers and nurture them to make the environment attractive. "Though most people admired flowers and other plants, they thought it is only meant for the affluent in society and refuse to plant them," She added. Mrs Adokoh noted that the department had only 54 personnel manning the region and it was woefully inadequate. She said the department was collaborating with the management of Zoomlion Company to undertake beautification programmes in the region to make it appealing and attractive for lovers of nature and flowers before, during and after CAN 2008. Mrs Adokoh said the partnership would boost the moral of the personnel make people appreciate the value of ornamentals. She said it was disheartening to see people defecating and throwing rubbish into flowerbeds within the metropolis. Mrs Adokoh said it was sad that some youths living in some parts of Takoradi had converted many open drains into places of convenience. Mr Felix Boankrah, Western Regional Operations Manager of Zoomlion, said the flowerbeds would be handed over to the department for maintenance. Source: GNA