GCX, Cannabis Chamber sign MoU
THE Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX) and the Chamber of Cannabis Industry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards establishing a structured trading and market opportunities for Ghana’s regulated Cannabis Industry.
The MoUs were signed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GCX, Ms Evelyn Abekah, and Mr Mark Darko, President of the Cannabis Chamber. The strategic collaboration aimed at supporting the structured development of Ghana’s emerging cannabis industry in order to build a transparent, efficient, and internationally competitive cannabis value chain. It leverages on GCX’s expertise in commodity market systems and the chamber’s leadership in industry development and advocacy.
Ms Abekah said the ceremony signalled a deliberate step toward building future ready markets that support national transformation, economic resilience, and inclusive growth. “Ghana’s development agenda challenges us to reset and transform our economy, moving decisively from a commodity dependent model to one driven by structured markets, higher productivity, value addition, and export competitiveness,” she said.
The cannabis industry, the CEO explained, when responsibly regulated and strategically positioned, could fit squarely within the national vision of building an industry that is formal, compliant, transparent, and export ready. A structured and regulated cannabis industry, Ms Abekah indicated, creates a credible pathway for domestic revenue mobilisation, strengthening the state’s capacity to invest in priority sectors aligned with Ghana CARES healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social protection. It enables job creation at scale, particularly for young people across farming, processing, quality assurance, logistics, warehousing, research, and export services, contributing meaningfully to employment and skills development, thus anchoring farmers into formal value chains where quality, traceability, and standards matter, as well as advancing economic diversification, reducing over reliance on traditional primary commodities while positioning Ghana as a competitive player in a high value, globally traded sector.
She said through GCX, producers would gain reliable access to fair markets, while buyers would benefit from quality assurance and traceability boosting investors’ confidence in a rules based and well-governed trading environment. The CEO further stated that GCX remains fully committed to working closely with regulators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders in order to ensure that the market evolves responsibly, sustainably, and in full alignment with Ghana’s legal and policy framework.
Mr Darko indicated that the launch marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Ghana’s cannabis industry, saying that for many years the conversation around cannabis has been complex, often misunderstood, sometimes controversial. The gathering, he emphasised, was not just about the signing of a document but about laying the foundation for a new, credible, and well-governed industry in Ghana. The Chamber of Cannabis Industry Ghana, Mr Darko noted, was established with a clear mandate to promote responsible investment, regulatory compliance, and sustainable development across the cannabis value chain.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
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