Assemblyman calls for bylaws against marijuana farming

Duusi (U/E), Nov. 22, GNA - The Assemblyman for the Duusi Electoral Area in the Talensi/Nabdam District in the Upper East Region, Mr William Gana, has expressed concern about the spate of marijuana cultivation in the area and called for legislation to ban it.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Duusi on Wednesday, Mr Gana pointed out that there is need for all District Assemblies in the Region to enact by-laws to deal with people who engage in its cultivation.

Mr Gana alleged that the security agencies in the region were aware of the situation but were doing nothing to check it. He urged the police and other law enforcement agencies to join the ban wagon in the fight against this canker.

He said the alarming rate of social vices such arm robbery, rapes and indiscipline especially among the youth could be partly attributed to "Wee" smoking and the use of other hard drugs.

The Assemblyman called on parents, traditional rulers and other opinion leaders to get involved in the crusade by educating and sensitizing the youth about the harmful effects of wee smoking. When the GNA spoke to some residents of the community on the issue of "wee" peddling, they condemned it as an abominable enterprise. However, there were others who held that people were engaging in the illegal trade because they had no alternative sources of livelihood. They appealed to the District Assembly to expedite action on the Youth in Employment Programme so that the youth could obtain jobs and turn away from crime. 22 Nov. 06