A group advocating the decriminalisation of Cannabis in Ghana says the planting of hemp along the banks of rivers is the solution to Ghana’s soil and water pollution problem.

According to the Chairman of Hempire Association of Ghana, Nana Kwaku Agyemang, industrial hemp can help recuperate all lands and water bodies polluted by illegal mining in Ghana to its natural state.

“Once we start cultivating cannabis on those lands, over a period of time you will see that we will begin to reclaim the lands ones again," he said at a news conference to mark International Cannabis Day.

The group called on government to grant local farmers, the authorisation to start the cultivation of Industrial Hemp along the banks of our river bodies.

"When we’re given the nod we will go to these venues, we will go to river Pra and cultivate hemp at the bank side of those rivers and start to absorb the pollution out of those waters," he told Joy News.   

“Lots of our lands is being rendered useless, cannot be used again. We challenge them, we say that is not true, we say once we get the license we can talk to the Forestry Commission and they can work alongside us.

"Then all the lands that have been intoxicated with poison, we can help the Forestry Commission and the government of Ghana reclaim all those lands by doing one simple thing the cultivation of Cannabis sativa, industrial hemp," he added.