Mr Francis Ameyibor, West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA Ghana) and UNDP SALIENT Fund Project Coordinator has called on government to roll-out measures including swift passage of the National Small Arms Bill to protect teenagers’ exposure to guns.
He expressed concern about the exposure of teenagers to small arms and other weapons, which is beginning to create a state of insecurity in second-cycle schools, warning that the situation could degenerate into major security crisis.
Mr Ameyibor, said teenagers were not mentally stable or mature enough to handle any form of weapon, adding that gun violence had a profound impact on children and adolescents, extending far beyond the immediate incident.
He said the trauma caused by such events could lead to poor concentration and declining grades, withdrawal, aggression, or avoidance of crowds; unspoken stress cycles affecting parents and family members; and potential substance abuse.
Mr Ameyibor, who was speaking in an interview on the recent use of guns and other dangerous tools by some teenagers in some second cycle schools, expressed concern and called for the intensification of public education on the ownership of guns and their storage process.
He urged parents to be proactive in protecting their children from accessing firearms, highlighting that the situation is partially due to parents’ failure to adhere to safety protocols or lack of knowledge on gun safety.
Mr Ameyibor encouraged parents and guardians to strictly adhere to gun safety protocols, especially at home, to ensure gun safety and prevent accidents, especially with children around.
He said safety protocols involved storing a gun in a child-proof safe or lockbox, out of reach and sight of children; using fingerprint recognition or combination locks to prevent unauthorised access; and keeping ammunition locked separately in a different location.
He said parents with guns at home must also educate their children on gun safety, the dangers of firearms, and the importance of not touching them: “Teach your children to stay away from guns and alert an adult if they find one.”
He said you must also educate your household – family members and any other person in your house – about gun safety; “Buying a gun is not enough, but responsible gun ownership is key for the safety of your household and society.”
Mr Ameyibor also stressed the need to always keep guns unloaded when not in use, use trigger locks or biometric safes to prevent accidental discharge, and teach children the four fundamental rules of gun safety, including treating all firearms as if they are loaded and “never assume they are not loaded”.
“Children should never point a firearm at anyone,” Mr Ameyibor noted.
He stressed on the need for the passage of the National Small Arms Bill 2023, which is seen as a crucial step in reducing emerging threats.
He added that gun owners must prioritise safe storage of firearms to prevent unauthorised access, parents should monitor their children’s activities and ensure they don’t have access to firearms, and schools should prioritise providing trauma-informed care and counselling services for students affected by gun violence.
Mr Ameyibor also urged stakeholders to work together to create a safer environment for teenagers, including pushing for the swift passage of the National Small Arms Bill, which had provisions for responsible gun ownership as one of its fundamental principles.
The National Small Arms Bill 2023, currently at the Ministry of the Interior, if passed into law, will enhance national security, align the nation’s laws on small arms and light weapons with international standards and address legislative gaps.
WAANSA Ghana is part of the implementing entities of the Saving Lives Entity Fund Project (Salient), which is a United Nations funding facility located within the Peacebuilding Fund and dedicated to supporting states to tackle armed violence and illicit small arms and light weapons as part of a comprehensive approach to sustainable security and development.
The project is part of interventions to address the illicit trafficking of small arms, light weapons, and improvised explosive devices within the prevailing context of the increasingly volatile security situation in the Sahel and neighbouring countries under the SALIENT Project.
The bill also seeks to improve firearms control, promote peace and stability, and encourage collaboration.
The bill also seeks to prevent the illicit trade, possession, and use of small arms, which have been linked to armed violence, terrorism, and organised crime, and regulate the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
By regulating small arms, the bill seeks to prevent armed violence, which has devastating effects on individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole, as well as help prevent the use of small arms by terrorist groups, which pose a significant threat to national security.
The bill also seeks to help reduce organised crime, often perpetrated using these weapons.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba