The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has reiterated that cannabis cultivation in Ghana is only permitted for approved industrial and medicinal purposes under strict regulatory controls, warning that the law does not permit the unrestricted growing of the plant.
Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Assurances, the Minister said some individuals continue to exploit the legal framework by cultivating unauthorised cannabis varieties despite extensive public education by the government.
He explained that only cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 0.3 per cent or below qualifies for industrial cultivation under Ghana’s laws.
“It is very clear that it is cannabis with a THC content of 0.3 and below for industrial purposes, and we have set out the guidelines on what it takes,” Mr. Muntaka stated.
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry undertook an extensive nationwide public education campaign in 2025 to improve awareness of the legal requirements surrounding cannabis cultivation and use.
According to him, officials conducted 2,117 community engagements last year including students, to educate them on the legal framework, the dangers associated with drug abuse, and the conditions under which cannabis may legally be cultivated.
“It will interest you that last year, 2025 alone, we did 2,117 community engagements and reached out to more than half a million people, including students, just to educate people and let them understand the nuances, the challenges that go with the use of these drugs, their related consequences, the cultivation, and what it is that you can cultivate,” he said.
Despite the awareness campaign, Mr. Muntaka said some individuals continue to violate the law by cultivating prohibited cannabis under the guise of industrial production.
He noted that the Ministry has intensified enforcement efforts to clamp down on illegal cultivation, adding that some offenders even attempt to conceal cannabis farms when security agencies move in.
“All these engagements have been done. So, if someone wants to take advantage of saying that because Ghana has legitimised the cultivation of industrial cannabis to cultivate non-industrial cannabis, the person cannot claim they do not understand,” he said.
The Minister revealed that in some cases, suspects hide illegal cannabis in shrines to evade detection by law enforcement officers.
“Why is it that the person is hiding it? Because in some of the areas that you yourself alluded to, when they heard our people were coming, they went and hid it in the shrine, thinking they could use the shrine as a cover,” he added.
Mr. Muntaka reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing Ghana’s cannabis regulations while continuing public education to ensure compliance with the law.
