Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Wednesday, June 19th, 2019 received in audience, participants of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) Academy, Ijebu-Igbo, who were on a five-day study tour of the Ondo State.

The participants who cut across the country were led by the Acting Assistant Comptroller-General of Nigeria Prisons, Benson Oluwayiopese,

The theme of the study tour is, "Commercial Cannabis Growing in Ondo State: A Panacea for Economic Emancipation of over dependent on Federal allocation."

Governor Akeredolu appreciated the team for acknowledging all the salutary efforts of his administration to better the lives of the citizenry, promising to do more in fulfilment of his electioneering campaign promises to the people.

The governor who harped on the good use of cannabis, informed that when the oil is extracted it could be used to cure many chronic Illnesses.

He urged the team to research on the medicinal use of cannabis and also educate the populace on it to benefit mankind and improve the economy of the country, adding that Nigeria stands to gain billions of dollars like others countries from the proposed legal and controlled cultivation of cannabis.

Earlier, the leader of the team and Acting Assistant Comptroller-General of Nigeria Prisons, C.P Benson Oluwayiopese, said the Nigerian Prisons Service Academy, Ijebu-Igbo Ogun State, commenced operation in the year 2013 as the Regional Centre for Penal Education and Development in Africa and beyond.

He explained that the state was chosen for the study tour because of its novel and innovative intention towards legal and controlled cannabis cultivation for medicinal and economic benefits, the bill of which was pending before the National Assembly for passage.

Oluwayiopese noted that Canada, Uruguay, America and many other countries have legalised cannabis cultivation for medical treatment and economic benefit, stressing that if legalised at the national level it would drastically improve the economy of the country and address issue of chronic illness which cost alot of money to treat among Nigerians.