The Narcotics Control Commission has strongly condemned the use of children in the cultivation of marijuana in the Volta Region, describing the practice as illegal, dangerous, and deeply troubling.
This follows concerns raised by the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo V, who revealed that schoolchildren, some as young as those in basic schools, are abandoning classrooms to work as cheap labourers on illegal cannabis farms.
He further lamented that beyond working on the farms, many of these children end up using marijuana, exposing them to harmful substances at a young age.
The Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Francis Opoku Mensah, confirmed that such practices are in direct violation of Ghanaian law and must be condemned by all.
“Our laws alone do not permit young people to work, let alone work on marijuana farms. So it is something that is condemnable and very bad,” he stated.
“The chiefs have every right to raise that concern. These concerns affect all of us, not just as narcotic control, but all of us as Ghanaians. If our young people are going to be doing this, then it is wrong.”
Mr. Opoku Mensah clarified the legal framework surrounding cannabis cultivation in Ghana, referring to the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019).
He explained that while the law prohibits the cultivation and trade of cannabis for recreational purposes, it allows for the cultivation of hemp with a THC level not exceeding 0.3%, strictly for medicinal and industrial purposes — and only under a licence granted by the Minister for the Interior, in consultation with the Commission.
He added that although a legislative instrument (L.I.) to support the licensing regime was passed in November 2023, the process remains incomplete as Parliament has yet to approve the associated fees and charges.
“Even as we are talking, the minister hasn’t given anybody the license to cultivate hemp,” he said.
“What we are waiting for as a commission is the fees and charges. Once Parliament passes that, interested individuals can apply and go through a thorough screening before any licence is issued.”
He emphasised that even after licensing begins, strict monitoring mechanisms will be in place to ensure compliance.
