By Frank Kwame Abbor
Ho, July 23, GNA – The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has warned that no licence has been issued for cannabis cultivation, making all existing farms operating nationwide illegal and liable to sanctions.
Assistant Narcotics Control Officer (ANCO) John Gilbert, a Narcotic Officer from the Education Unit of the Volta Regional Command in Ho, said Parliament was yet to approve the final regulatory framework, including the fees and charges, before the Commission could begin issuing licences.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Ho, ANCO Gilbert said reports of cannabis cultivation in some parts of the country, including the Volta Region, constituted illegal activities under the current law.
“As of now, NACOC has not issued a licence to any individual, company or group to cultivate cannabis. Therefore, any cannabis farm currently operating is illegal,” he said.
ANCO Gilbert explained that Ghana’s legal framework permitted cannabis cultivation strictly for medicinal and industrial purposes, as well as scientific research, and not for recreational use or smoking.
“The law is clear that cannabis cultivation is restricted to medicinal, industrial and research purposes. Recreational use and smoking remain illegal because we want to protect public health and the environment,” he stated.
Assistant Narcotics Control Officer (ANCO) Millicent Marfo, also a Narcotic Officer from the Education Unit of the Volta Regional Command, disclosed that the Commission had developed about 11 categories of licences covering activities such as cultivation, transportation, storage, processing and distribution, subject to applicants meeting specific requirements.
She said prospective applicants must be at least 18 years old, demonstrate financial and technical capacity, possess proof of land ownership or lawful access to land, obtain police and tax clearance certificates, and register their businesses where applicable.
According to ANCO Marfo, foreign investors could participate only through companies in which Ghanaians held at least 50 per cent ownership, while permanent resident foreigners must also satisfy all legal and regulatory requirements.
She said the Commission would conduct rigorous background checks and inspect proposed cultivation sites before granting any licence, adding that successful applicants would be required to install surveillance systems, including Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, to enhance monitoring and security.
ANCO Gilbert noted that cannabis cultivated under the proposed licensing regime would contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels of 0.3 per cent or below, making it suitable for medicinal processing rather than recreational consumption.
He assured the public that NACOC, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Food and Drugs Authority, the Ghana Standards Authority and other stakeholders, would monitor every stage of cultivation, processing, storage and distribution to ensure compliance with the law and prevent abuse.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah