Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, Nov. 22, GNA – Mr Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, has announced a nationwide Gun Amnesty Programme aimed at reducing the proliferation of illicit firearms, which continued to fuel violent crimes, chieftaincy disputes and land conflicts across the country.
The Gun Amnesty Programme, to run from December 1, 2025 to January 15, 2026, would allow individuals in possession of unregistered or illicit firearms to voluntarily surrender them at designated collection points without fear of arrest, interrogation or prosecution.
“This amnesty is a window of grace. Those who surrender weapons will be commended as patriots contributing to national peace and safety,” he said.
At a press conference in Accra, the Minister, however, warned that security agencies would intensify operations to retrieve illicit arms after the amnesty period.
Persons who failed to take advantage of the programme would face strict enforcement of the law, he said.
Mr Mubarak said illicit weapons had permeated homes, workplaces, social settings and even schools, contributing significantly to Ghana’s security challenges.
He said the situation demanded urgent and collective action, noting that in 2024, the country recorded 1,219 robbery cases and 552 murder cases.
As of July this year, robbery and murder cases stood at 628 and 340, respectively.
Mr Mubarak emphasised that every unregistered or illegally held firearm posed a “silent threat,” capable of destroying families and communities at any moment.
“We cannot continue to bury our loved ones while the tools of violence remain unchecked,” he said.
As part of measures accompanying the amnesty, the Government had suspended the issuance of new firearm importation and sales permits.
It had also placed a temporary ban on the use of firearms during traditional celebrations such as festivals to enhance border security and curb arms trafficking.
Other actions announced during the press conference included joint security operations after the amnesty programme to retrieve remaining illicit weapons, intensify swoops in crime hotspots, and continue dialogue with traditional authorities to regulate firearm use during festivals.
Mr Mubarak indicated that preparatory steps had already been undertaken, including technical planning meetings, consultations with regional ministers, chiefs, ambassadors and arms dealers, public sensitisation campaigns and training of Amnesty Officials.
Describing the initiative as a “life-saving” rather than punitive, he called on chiefs, religious leaders, opinion leaders, community groups and the media to support the national effort to remove illegal firearms from communities.
“Ghana’s destiny is too precious to be stolen by bullets,” he said.
“Our children deserve playgrounds, not battlegrounds. Our nation deserves peace, not gun violence.”
Mr Mubarak urged citizens to embrace the amnesty as a patriotic duty and an opportunity to safeguard lives and secure the country’s future.
“Together, let us silence the guns, for our safety, for our children, and for our future. Guns Down, Ghana Up!” he added.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe