The Ministry of the Interior has indicated that it may prolong the duration of the current firearms amnesty initiative, which was initially set to take place from December 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026, in order to give more people the chance to voluntarily hand over unlawfully held weapons.

The initiative, which offers protection from legal action to individuals who submit prohibited firearms, is intended to curb the spread of guns and enhance public safety nationwide.

Addressing participants at a stakeholder meeting on the amnesty programme involving the Ghana Airports Company and airport security bodies at the Kotoka International Airport on Monday, January 12, the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, said the ministry is actively assessing appeals from citizens and interest groups for additional time.

“We have taken note of the increasing interest from the public and the appeals from stakeholders to lengthen the amnesty period. I want to assure you that the Minister for the Interior is seriously examining these requests,” he said.

He added that the possible extension demonstrates the government’s awareness of practical challenges on the ground and its desire to ensure that individuals are not prevented from obeying the law simply because the timeframe is too limited.

During the same engagement, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Adam Bona, issued a stern warning to airport personnel against aiding the unlawful movement of firearms into or out of Ghana.

“The President and the Minister have directed me to make it clear that anyone found collaborating with others to illegally import or export weapons will face the full force of the law,” he cautioned, underscoring the serious repercussions of breaching firearms regulations.