The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has granted its first licences to two companies to cultivate cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of not more than 0.3 per cent for medicinal and industrial use.
The move is aimed at creating jobs, attracting investment and supporting research under a tightly regulated framework.
NACOC issued the licences to MJ Adom Limited and Juliopta Limited after the companies met the requirements set out under the country's regulatory framework.
The licences are valid for three years, subject to compliance with regulatory requirements and renewal by NACOC.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said the licensing process was rigorous to ensure that only qualified applicants entered the new industry.
He said applicants underwent detailed technical assessments, field inspections and reviews by a multi-agency technical committee before recommendations were submitted to the Minister for the Interior for approval.
Maj. General Mantey stressed that cannabis cultivation remained illegal unless carried out under a valid licence and within the approved THC limit of 0.3 per cent.
"Only licensed cultivation of cannabis with a THC content of not more than 0.3 per cent is legal. Recreational cannabis remains illegal, and anyone who cultivates without a licence faces the full force of the law," he said.
THC is the main active chemical in the cannabis plant that makes a person feel ‘high'.
It changes how the brain and body work by attaching to natural cell receptors.
Pilot programme
Maj. General Mantey explained that the initiative was being implemented as a pilot programme to allow the country to benefit from the medicinal and industrial value of cannabis while maintaining strict controls against abuse.
He warned licence holders against exceeding their approved acreages or engaging in activities outside the terms of their licences.
"If you comply with the regulations, the opportunities are significant. If you abuse the system, we will revoke the licence and enforce the law," he said.
Major General Mantey added that NACOC officers would conduct inspections with or without prior notice and that licence holders whose crops exceeded the approved THC threshold must immediately notify the commission for appropriate disposal.
Investment plans
The founder of Juliopta Limited, Juliana Addo-Yobo, described the licence as the beginning of a new business opportunity for the company.
Maj. Gen. Maxwell Obuba Mantey (3rd from left), Director-General, Narcotics Control Commission, with representatives of the licensees
She said the company planned to cultivate cannabis before expanding into seed imports and exports to support the emerging industry in the country.
"The licensing process is demanding and expensive, but we met all the requirements.
We are now focused on building a business that serves both local and international markets," she said.
Ms Addo-Yobo added that the company would strictly comply with all licence conditions, including restrictions on land size and operational activities.
Economic potential
An agronomist at MJ Adom Limited, Michael Akuamoah Boateng, said the industry had the potential to create employment, support research and generate foreign exchange earnings.
He said the company's collaboration with the Centre for Plant Medicine Research would promote research into medicinal cannabis and help develop products out of the locally cultivated plants.
"This industry creates jobs, supports research and brings export earnings.
We are ready to begin cultivation and contribute to the growth of the economy," Mr Akuamoah Boateng said.
