Wee can’t succeed where cocoa and gold failed – Kofi Anokye on marijuana legalisation discourse
Kofi Anokye, the chief executive of Koans Building Solutions, has questioned the justification for marijuana legalization in Ghana as well as the timing of the conversation.
In an interview with the renowned real estate developer, Mr. Anokye expressed his concerns about the proposed legislation, stressing that Ghana lacks the necessary systems to mitigate the potential risks associated with marijuana use and safeguard against potential repercussions. The debate over legalizing cannabis for export and medical use is currently being discussed in Ghana’s parliament.
Mr. Anokye noted that Ghana now has a variety of untapped revenue-generating opportunities.
He questioned the rationale of jeopardizing the young of the country by venturing into unexplored area that is teeming with known risks.
“From the days of Guggisburg to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our fertile land has yielded the finest cocoa, cashew nuts, maize, oil palm, and various other crops with minimal risks and challenges.
“We have enough technical knowledge and structures to build on if we are serious about maximizing the benefits of these cash crops. It doesn’t sit well with me that the conversation is not about growing more cocoa, oil palm, cassava, maize, and the other crops that do well here and are able to give us the money we want from cannabis and even more without endangering the kids.
“It is illogical to pursue an alternative with such inherent dangers,” Mr Anokye asserted.
He further questioned if Ghana had fully reaped the rewards from its natural riches, such as oil, gold, diamonds, wood, and bauxite, to the extent that marijuana legalization was now necessary.
Mr. Anokye emphasized the significance of maximizing the potential of these well-established crops and deflecting discussion away from the cannabis issue by pointing out the dangers of marijuana use as well as the lack of a guarantee of success in its growth.
“We need to concentrate on what we already possess; they are more than sufficient,” he concluded.
Respected real estate entrepreneur Mr. Anokye presents a different viewpoint in the ongoing debate over the legalization of cannabis in Ghana.
His worries underline the necessity of a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of this law.
Stakeholders must carefully evaluate the points made by those like Mr. Anokye, who urge for using the nation’s current resources before forging ahead into new waters, as the discussion in Ghana’s parliament continues.