The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has voiced his displeasure with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the law allowing licenses for cannabis growing in Ghana.
The Supreme Court ruled in July 2022 to repeal section 43 of the law, which authorised the government to issue licenses for cannabis growing for medical and industrial purposes.
In an address to Members of Parliament on Thursday, the former Nadowli MP emphasised that the Supreme Court’s judgment was unconstitutional because it was done without consulting Parliament.
He emphasised the significance of the three branches of government cooperating and respecting one another’s functions.
“I hope the three arms of government will work together and respect each other. In case of doubt, it’s important to consult the other arm before giving finality to whatever decision the other arm wants to take.
“I do not think it was proper for the Judiciary without knowing how we conduct our business here, really go into how we conduct the business and make such important decisions without consulting the House. That is improper. I have made this known to them and I want to make this known publicly.”
Bagbin also referred the Narcotics Control Commission modification bill to the Defence and Interior Committees for review, directing them to report within the next seven days.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, argued in a submission for an amendment to the Narcotic Control Commission Act that the amendment bill does not seek to legalise recreational cannabis use, but rather provides an avenue for the issuance of special licenses for cannabis production.
“As a result, declaring Section 43 unconstitutional was, in my humble opinion, an enormous error. However, because we need to be in sync with the international movement, and also because we consider this to be a public health issue with industrial and economic value, this amendment is required to allow us to reinstate what has been declared unconstitutional in my opinion,” Mr. Dery argued.
