WAANSA GHANA congratulates President Mahama and Veep

Accra, Jan 27, GNA – The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA-Ghana) has extended its congratulatory message to President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for their electoral victory and assumption of leadership of Ghana.  

“WAANSA Ghana considers your victory as a new milestone that marks a significant moment in Ghana’s democratic journey,” Mr. Ken Kinney, WAANSA-Ghana, stated in a statement in Accra. 

WAANSA Ghana, however, reminded the presidency of the pressing security challenges facing Ghana and West Africa, which include the volatile West Africa sub-region, chieftaincy disputes, and other related security challenges. 

It explained that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons had exacerbated internal conflicts and insecurity in the region, while long-standing disputes over chieftaincy titles and land ownership had sometimes turned violent. 

To address these concerns, WAANSA Ghana urged President Mahama, government functionaries, including the national security architecture, Parliament, and the chief justice, to prioritize approval of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Implementation Cabinet Memo and the passage of the National Arms Commission Bill, 2023.  

The treaty seeks to establish the highest possible common international standards for regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms, prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms, and prevent their diversion. 

It also seeks to contribute to international and regional peace, security, and stability; reduce human suffering; and promote cooperation, transparency, and responsible action by States Parties in the international trade in conventional arms, thereby building confidence among States Parties. 

The National Arms Commission Bill, 2023, aims to regulate and manage arms, ammunition, and other related materials in the country; control the proliferation of small arms and light weapons; improve safety and security; and protect lives and property in the country.  

WAANSA Ghana said the bill was critical in addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the region, stressing that the National Arms Commission Bill, 2023, offered several key benefits, which included enhanced security and safety, improved reputation, and increased stakeholder ownership. 

Meanwhile, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Kinney explained that the passage of the bill would help in regulating small arms and promoting public safety, enhancing Ghana’s reputation on the global stage and demonstrating its commitment to peace and stability. 

The WAANSA Ghana President also noted that it would foster the collaborative approaches to addressing security challenges and ensure stronger partnerships and collaboration, thereby promoting cohesive and effective approaches to security and safety. 

He emphasised the need for the bill to be passed into law to ensure effective control and regulation of small arms. 

He said the passage of the National Arms Commission Bill 2023 into law, as well as the Cabinet’s approval of the ATT implementation memo, were crucial in addressing the root causes of insecurity and violence in Ghana and preventing the illicit trade in arms. 

Mr. Kinney also appealed to the government to collaborate with stakeholders to promote peace and security in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region. 

The President said the fight against small arms and light weapons required a collective effort from all stakeholders and expressed its willingness to work with the government and other partners to ensure that Ghana was a safer and more secure country. 

Ghana is the third African country to benefit from the first phase of the SALIENT Trust Fund, which is being spearheaded by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crimes (UNODC). 

Ghana is a signatory to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which calls for the establishment of National Commissions to provide an effective regulatory mechanism for small arms and light weapons.  

The SALIENT project aimed to address armed violence and illicit small arms and light weapons trafficking, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to sustainable security and development. 

The project seeks to upscale efforts towards the passage of the bill into law to provide the necessary tools and mechanisms to regulate the trade, possession, and transfer of small arms and light weapons. 

The SALIENT project is being implemented in Ghana by WAANSA Ghana, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. 

The CSOs affiliated with WAANSA Ghana are the West Africa Network of Journalists for Security and Development, the Care-Love Charity Foundation, Youth for Peace and Security in Africa, the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa, and the Orphans and Widows Association. 

Others are the Security Warehouse, West Africa Lead, the Nurture Nature Foundation, the Centre for Rural Women in Peace, Security, and Development, the Greater Accra Youth Network, Development Institute, BADEC, and the Nutifafa Foundation. 

The rest are the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA-Ghana), the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, the West Africa Centre for Violent Extremism, the Association of Ghanaian Women and Child Welfare, and the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana. 

GNA