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Cannabis Regulation: Governs Agbodza raises concerns over potential abuse
The Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza, has warned of the possible abuse of cannabis following the maturity of the legislative instrument to regulate its cultivation and management by the government.
The L.I. seeks to streamline the use of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes after the parent law was passed by Parliament.
Reacting to the regulation, the Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza, said it will worsen mental health conditions rather than improve the economic fortunes of the country.
“Unfortunately, the young man taking weed in this country is not going to take what he has to the laboratory to test HPC content before taking it. And none of you is talking about the potential for abuse or how badly it would degenerate the mental health we already have in the country. Why are we pretending that this is going to solve our problems in the country? Minister, do you even know how many people are taking weed illegally, to the extent that you are going to license the people and show them where to store the weed?”
But the Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine, says research suggests that countries that legalized the industrial use of cannabis stand to benefit economically.
“Mr. Speaker, studies conducted by the United Nations Commission on International Trade and Development indicate that the industry has potential benefits for countries that have legalized its cultivation and management. These include economic, industrial, foreign exchange, employment, and medicinal benefits. Every part of the industrial hemp plants, from the roots to the flowers and seeds, has potential industrial and medicinal benefits, which can be beneficial to the economy of the country.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
