Many Ghanaians including over 70 registered businesses would have a certain relief if a Legislative Instrument (LI) is introduced to Parliament by the Ministry of Interior for the passage of a law that would guide the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020, Act 1019 on a licensing regime to cater for cultivation, export, import of seeds, experimentation, breeding, research and processing of industrial hemp, otherwise known as Cannabis Sativa, in Ghana.

So far investigations reveal that Hempire Association of Ghana, made up of yet-to-be growers of industrial hemp, has undergone some capacity building training and is ready to kick start Ghana’s industrial revolution which would make hemp a major trading commodity for the country’s foreign exchange.

Morocco has drafted a law for the recreational use of cannabis early this month and is yet to see approval. This reveals a global pattern of commercial interest in cannabis leading to various legislative reforms as well as the release of convicts in jail for possessing marijuana.

It is established that the global industrial hemp market stood at USD $4.7 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow by 15.87% of a Compound Annual Growth Rate till 2027. The emerging market is driven by a growing demand for fibers in automotive, construction, food and beverage, personal care and textile industries especially in emerging regions like Pacific Asia and Africa. This has made countries like Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda to enter into various forms of agreements to export industrial hemp with less than 0.3% THC.