Over 500 coys, individuals express interest in cannabis production – NACOC

The licensing of companies interested in the country’s emerging cannabis industry is expected to start by the end of the year, if parliament approves charges and fees for the industry currently before the house.

The Narcotic Control Commission (NACOC) said that was the last hurdle left for the country to officially start leveraging its cannabis resource for medicinal and industrial purpose, four years after the law for the industry was passed.

The Head of the Cannabis Regulation Department of the NACOC, Dr Basha Ligbi, made this known at a breakfast meeting on Ghana’s Cannabis Industry organised by the Israeli Embassy in Accra.

Facilitated by the Israeli Economic and Trade Mission to Ghana and the Chamber of Cannabis Industry Ghana (CCIG), it was meant to foster partnerships between industry players in both countries.

It presented the platform for five Israeli companies; Azrom Creative AgriSolutions, Eybna Technologies, RCK, MyCrops and CannaSoul to introduce technologies that could enhance Ghana’s cannabis industry.

The event focused on issues including technology, research, regulations, compliances investment and partnership, public education and environmental impact.

The Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020, (Act 1019) was assented to by the President on May 11 , 2020 and subsequently amended by Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) ACT, 2023 (ACT 1100).

Dr Ligbi, who was answering a question on the licensing process after his presentation said the legislative instrument for the fees and charges was before parliament which is expected to reconvene in October.

He said even before the licensing regime begins, more than 500 individuals and companies in the country had expressed interest since the beginning of the year.

Asked if there would be a cap on the number of companies that would be allowed to operate, he said, the government would make that decision and the same would be announced.

In his presentation, he said, there were about 11 licences including cultivation, which would be issued for the purpose of cultivating cannabis containing not more than 0.3 per cent tetrahydro-cannabinol content on a dry weight.

The other licences, he said, were for breeding, storage, export, laboratory, research and development, import, processing, transportation, sales and distribution, and advertising and promotion.

He said only persons who are 18 years and above, a citizen or permanent resident, corporate body with 50 per cent Ghanaian shareholding or majority of the directors as Ghanaian citizens or residents in Ghana could apply.

He said all applications would be subjected to vigorous vetting, and therefore called on all stakeholders to comply with the regulations for seamless licensing regime.

In his welcome address, the Ambassador-designate for the Israeli Embassy in Ghana, Roey Gilad, said the cannabis industry in Israel was a booming one supported by academic research despite some regulation difficulties.

He said Ghana’s decision to adopt to regulate the cannabis industry and enter the booming market was beneficial, as the country could be a leading force in the growing of medical cannabis with its excellent agricultural conditions.

“We hope that through our collaboration and the know-how of the Israeli industry, Ghana’s agricultural income can increase just like cocoa,” he said.

The CCIG President, Dr. Mark Darko, said a collaboration between Ghana and Israel had the potential to unlock unprecedented opportunities for Ghana, especially given Israel’s expertise.