Mahama's contender wants to legalise marijuana

NDC activist, George Boateng, who is seeking to challenge President John Dramani Mahama for the NDC's flagbearer, says marijuana cultivation is one aspect of agriculture which can generate more money for the country.

The 45-year-old polling station youth organizer at Oyarifa, who picked up forms to challenge President John Mahama in the ruling party's next year's polls, vowed to pursue an aggressive export drive and also legalise marijuana to help generate revenue.

He intends giving out licenses to Ghanaians who would want to venture into marijuana farming when he becomes Ghana’s President.

The NDC has set November 7 to elect a flagbearer and 275 parliamentary candidates, but George Boateng insists President Mahama does not deserve to lead the party into the December 7 presidential polls.

Speaking on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show about his vision, he indicated that it is a not crime to export marijuana because the country's narcotic laws give permission to certain companies to trade in marijuana, and he is ready to broaden the license to individuals to go into its cultivation.

“When I come to power, I [will] legalize marijuana for exportation. I will give license to export marijuana; when we talk about narcotics, there are laws covering them to the extent that we can export marijuana. It is when you abuse the law that you get punished for it. When you apply the law and obtain a license, you can export marijuana, and that is not a crime,” he asserted.

In terms of economic fortunes, Mr. George Boateng believes marijuana cultivation is good enough to overturn the country’s economic challenges; stressing that “marijuana is a natural herb which we can cultivate for export because foreigners need weed especially the people of Holland”.

He, however, professed that “operation feed yourself” is the best way to go for Ghana; urging that Ghana should take advantage of the fact that three countries are amassing wealth from marijuana cultivation.