Accra, Aug 7, GNA-The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA Ghana) on friday announced the restructuring of its operations with the appointment of 17 “Technical Leads”.
This is to strengthen advocacy, research, and community action against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
The network said the revamp was designed to make its work more targeted, evidence-based, and rooted in Ghanaian communities while intensifying pressure for the passage of the National Small Arms Bill and deepening public education on the dangers of armed violence.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, WAANSA Ghana Administrator and Project Coordinator, explained that the structuring formed part of the first phase of the total revamping of its operations into a modern smart advocacy entity.
He said it also intended to move the organization from a generalist advocacy model to a sector-specific technical engagement approach, where each technical lead will serve as the network’s focal point for a key stakeholder group, ensuring that messaging, partnerships, and programmes are tailored to the unique influence that group holds in society.
“This restructuring is about impact and legitimacy; to stop the flow of illegal weapons, we must work through the institutions that shape norms, policy, and security at the community and national levels,” Mr. Ameyibor stated.
He said the restructuring involved the setting up of “Technical Lead, Chiefs’ Affairs,” who will engage chiefs and traditional councils to champion non-violence and discourage illegal arms possession.
The role includes providing cultural guidance and sensitization materials and coordinating chiefs’ participation in community dialogues and peace durbars.
He explained that the “Technical Lead, Queen Mothers’ Affairs” will mobilize women traditional leaders as custodians of peace. The focus is on highlighting how arms proliferation affects women, children, and families and linking Queen Mothers to WAANSA Ghana’s grassroots advocacy.
He said faith-based institutions also feature prominently with the “Technical Lead, Religious – Christian Affairs” and “Technical Lead, Religious – Muslim Affairs,” who will work with churches, the Christian Council, the Office of the Chief Imam, Islamic councils, and mosques to integrate peace messaging into sermons, khutbahs, and campaigns.
The goal is to frame arms control as a moral and community safety imperative.
On governance, Mr. Ameyibor said the “Technical Lead, Governance Institutions Affairs” will coordinate engagement with Parliament, Ministries, Metropolitans, Municipals, and District Assemblies (MMDAs); the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE); the Electoral Commission (EC); the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ); and the Judiciary to advance legislation, including the stalled National Small Arms Bill.
Mr. Ameyibor stressed that the “Technical Lead, Security Institutions Affairs” will bridge civil society and agencies such as the Police, Military, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Defence and National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) to support enforcement, data sharing, joint campaigns, and public awareness.
To ground advocacy in data, Mr. Ameyibor said the “Technical Lead, Think Tanks Affairs” will partner universities and research institutions, review policy briefs, and translate findings into messages for government and security stakeholders.
He added that civil society coordination will be led by the “Technical Lead, CSOs Affairs,” tasked with managing WAANSA Ghana’s CSO network, providing technical support to members, and consolidating inputs into national, ECOWAS, and UN small arms frameworks.
Recognizing demographics, Mr. Ameyibor said WAANSA Ghana also set up “the Technical Lead, Youth Groups Affairs,” which will mobilize student unions and young leaders for peer-to-peer advocacy and social media campaigns.
“The Technical Lead, Women and Children’s Affairs, will ensure gender perspectives are central, with a focus on domestic violence and the protection of children affected by armed violence,” he explained.
In a novel approach, Mr. Ameyibor explained that WAANSA Ghana decided to set up “the Technical Lead, Blacksmiths Affairs,” who will engage metalworkers’ associations to discourage illicit arms fabrication and promote alternative livelihoods, while linking efforts to the Ministry of the Interior’s work on voluntary surrender and weapon marking.
He said the “Technical Lead, Media Affairs” is mandated to partner both traditional and social media, TV, radio, print, and digital platforms to amplify public education and shape opinion around a culture of peace.
With elections remaining a key risk period, Mr. Ameyibor said the “Technical Lead, Political Parties Affairs” will work with parties to promote peaceful campaigns and discourage the use of arms before, during, and after polls, in line with national and ECOWAS protocols.
Mr. Ameyibor said to sustain the work, the “Technical Lead, Donor Partners Affairs” will position WAANSA Ghana for strategic investment by mobilizing bilateral, multilateral, and private funding and providing technical briefs and impact reports.
He said WAANSA Ghana acknowledges that the country continues to face challenges from the illicit circulation of small arms, which fuel communal conflicts, armed robbery, and election-related violence.
“The proliferation also undermines development and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups and WAANSA Ghana’s restructuring to transform civil society advocacy,” Mr. Ameyibor indicated.
Mr. Ameyibor noted that aligning technical expertise with traditional, religious, security, and governance structures, the network aims to move advocacy beyond Accra and into communities where norms are formed and enforced.
“The fight against small arms cannot be won in conference rooms alone. It will be won in palaces, in churches and mosques, in classrooms, in workshops, and in the media,” he added.
The network called on all stakeholders to support the implementation of the new structure and to prioritize the passage and enforcement of comprehensive arms control legislation.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba