The Africa Centre for Security and Counter-terrorism (ACSC) has welcomed the Ministry of the Interior’s upcoming Gun Amnesty Initiative but is urging government to address key gaps to ensure the programme’s success.

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, announced on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at a news conference in Accra that the initiative will run from December 1, 2025, to January, 15, 2026. 

According to the minister, the policy seeks to reduce the number of illegally-owned firearms in circulation and encourage people to voluntarily surrender unregistered or illicit weapons without fear of prosecution. 

This, the ministry believes, will help curb gun violence, improve public safety and support wider national security efforts.

The Africa Centre for Security and Counterterrorism (ACSC) described government’s move as a significant step toward tackling the proliferation of illicit arms, emphasising, however, that robust community engagement was needed before implementation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 18, and signed by the Executive Director of the Centre, Emmanuel M. Kotin, the ACSC noted that research on similar disarmament and amnesty programmes across Africa showed that trust, transparency and dialogue with affected communities were crucial for success. It cautioned that the absence of prior consultations with traditional authorities, civil society groups and community leaders could affect public participation.

The ACSC stressed that communities most affected by gun-related violence must have their concerns incorporated into the design and rollout of the programme to ensure broad compliance and lasting impact.

The centre urged the ministry to immediately establish a stakeholder engagement framework that brought together regional and district chiefs, religious leaders, civil society organisations, community policing committees and youth groups. These actors, it said, played a vital role in translating government messaging into community action and building confidence in the process.

The Africa Centre for Security and Counterterrorism reaffirmed its commitment to working with government and stakeholders through research, advocacy and policy support aimed at strengthening national security and preventing armed violence.