The Administrator of the Rastafarian Council, Kofi Asante, has renewed urgent calls for Ghana to embrace the economic and medicinal potential of cannabis, urging authorities to replace criminalization with structured regulation and licensing.
Speaking during a phone-in interview on Ahotor 92.3 FM’s evening news programme with anchor Nana Appiah-Kubi, Mr. Asante emphasized the importance of the Council’s recently held fifth cannabis conference, describing it as a crucial national platform for rethinking policy direction, economic opportunity, and industrial development.
The conference, organized by the Rastafarian Council, was held at the Accra International Conference Centre and brought together an impressive mix of Rastafari researchers, academics, scholars, and affiliated associations. The event focused on the growing global cannabis industry and Ghana’s potential to benefit from its industrial and medicinal applications, especially following recent legislative discussions surrounding its controlled use.
Mr. Asante expressed satisfaction at the strong participation, noting that the diversity of voices present reflected increasing awareness of cannabis as an economic resource rather than a purely criminal issue.
He strongly advocated an end to arrests linked to cannabis-related activities, arguing that such practices are outdated and economically counterproductive.
“What we are all saying is that the arrests must stop,” he stated. “Instead of pursuing and detaining people, we should regulate and license them so that the country can benefit from this resource.”
According to him, cannabis holds vast potential for national development, particularly in medicine and industrial production such as fiber and textiles. He lamented what he described as Ghana’s continued neglect of an opportunity that other countries have successfully harnessed for economic growth.
“It is surprising that something given by nature for development is treated as a threat,” he said. “Other countries are using it to build strong industries, while here we destroy it. That does not make economic sense.”
Mr. Asante further criticized the destruction and seizure of cannabis products, describing it as a waste of valuable resources that could otherwise generate significant revenue for the state.
He stressed that a proper regulatory framework, including licensing systems for cultivation and distribution, would help eliminate unnecessary arrests, reduce social stigma, and allow the government to benefit through taxation and structured oversight.
He also argued that Ghana has the sovereignty to reform its laws in line with current global trends and economic realities, rather than relying on outdated prohibitions.
“We are creators of our own laws,” he noted. “We should be able to regulate cannabis properly instead of sticking to old systems that keep us dependent and limit our growth.”
Using vivid imagery, he compared inconsistent national attitudes toward development to “crabs in a basket pulling each other down,” suggesting that Ghana is undermining its own progress through indecision and contradiction.
He further argued that strategic investment in cannabis industries could significantly reduce the country’s reliance on external borrowing, including assistance from institutions such as the IMF and bond markets.
“If we invest in this properly, going to the IMF to borrow money will become a thing of the past,” he said. “We already have resources that can transform this economy if we choose to use them wisely.”
Mr. Asante concluded by urging policymakers to seize the opportunity presented by global shifts in cannabis regulation, stressing that Ghana risks falling behind if it fails to act decisively.
The conference continues to spark national debate on drug policy reform, economic diversification, and the future of cannabis regulation in Ghana.
Story by Godfred Sey/Ahotoronline.com