The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has issued Ghana's first cannabis cultivation licences to two companies after they successfully met all the legal and regulatory requirements.

The licences were presented to MG Adom Limited and Juliopta Limited, authorising them to cultivate cannabis strictly for approved industrial, medicinal and research purposes.

Presenting the licences, the Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, urged the companies to comply fully with all the conditions governing their operations.

He said that the licences permit only the cultivation of cannabis containing no more than 0.3 per cent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of the plant, in line with Ghana's legal framework.

Major General Obuba Mantey emphasised that recreational cannabis remains illegal in Ghana and warned that anyone cultivating cannabis without a valid licence, or producing cannabis that exceeds the legal THC limit, would face the full rigours of the law.

He said the regulated cannabis industry has significant potential to create employment opportunities for young people while promoting scientific research, innovation and the development of medicinal products in Ghana.

The Director-General encouraged the two companies to operate responsibly and uphold the standards required under the country's regulatory framework to support the growth of the emerging industry.