Gov’t set to launch national gun amnesty to curb illegal weapons – Small Arms Commission

Photo credit -The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA)

The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has announced that the government will soon introduce a nationwide gun amnesty programme aimed at reducing the growing circulation of unregistered firearms and the surge in gun-related violence across the country.

In a statement, NACSA expressed their concern about the increasing presence of illegal weapons in communities, homes, social gatherings, and traditional events warning that these firearms continue to fuel violent confrontations and needless deaths.

According to the Commission, the Minister for the Interior is currently reviewing policy proposals, including the proposed amnesty initiative, which seeks to encourage individuals to voluntarily surrender unregistered or illegally acquired weapons without fear of arrest or prosecution.

"These illicit firearms have turned minor disputes into funerals, land disagreements into wars, misunderstandings into gun battles, and traditional festivities into mourning,” NACSA lamented. “They are writing stories of fear, loss, and sorrow in our society.”

The Commission emphasised that the purpose of the amnesty is not to criminalise gun ownership but to promote peace and safeguard communities.

“No questions will be asked, and no charges will be pressed during the amnesty period only an opportunity for peace and safety,” the statement assured.

“When you surrender your gun, you are not losing power; you are reclaiming peace.”

NACSA has urged the public to prepare ahead of the official launch of the programme and to encourage relatives, friends, and neighbours to take advantage of the amnesty once it begins.

The Commission further appealed to all Ghanaians to support the initiative, describing it as a critical step toward ensuring safer communities and preventing further bloodshed.

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