𝐆𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Ghana has launched the Cannabis Regulatory Programme, establishing a controlled framework for the cultivation and management of low-THC cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. The announcement came during a press briefing in Accra where Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, Minister for the Interior, declared the programme open for implementation.

The implementation follows the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1100) and the Narcotics Control Commission (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475), which provide the legal foundation for regulated activities.

According to the Minister, the programme is restricted exclusively to cannabis varieties containing not more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. “This low-psychoactive hemp is the same type legally cultivated in countries like Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany for fibre, seeds, textiles, food products, and therapeutic applications,” he stated.

Highlighting the economic potential, the Minister referenced Canada’s legal cannabis sector, which generated over 894.6 million Canadian dollars in the 2022–2023 financial year, surpassing combined revenues from beer, wine, and tobacco. He added that Ghana aims to capture similar benefits through responsible regulation that safeguards public health and national security.

Hon. Muntaka stressed that licensing is reserved for Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents aged 18 and above. He also explained that corporate applicants must maintain at least 50% Ghanaian ownership and a majority of Ghanaian directors.

The Minister outlined key anticipated outcomes such as a reduction in illegal high-THC cultivation as farmers transition to legal alternatives, significant local and foreign investment, thousands of jobs, particularly for rural youth, and substantial state revenue from licensing fees and export

He called on the media to communicate clearly that this initiative is not about legalising recreational “wee” but about building a world-class, Ghanaian-led industrial hemp and therapeutic cannabis sector capable of competing globally while prioritising health and security.

Source: Ministry of Interior