A foreign policy and security analyst, Mr Adiib Saani, has attributed the proliferation of small arms in Ghana to the lack of arms regulators in the country.

According to him, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons is not a regulator but an advisory body to the government on small arms.

Mr Saani said in the wake of violent extremism in the sub-region, there was a need for arms regulators to help check the inflow of guns into the country.

He called for a full-fledged arms regulator to deal with the situation of violent extremism.  

Mr Saani made this call while analysing the situation of Jihadist recruitments in the sub-region on the 505 news analysis programme hosted by Korku Lumor on Class 93.1FM on Monday, July 18, 2022.

He said the law that governs arms in the country is the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1972, which, according to him, has not been able to deal with proliferation.

The analyst said an arms regulator will push for a central register for arms and ammunition and further regulate the sector.

Mr Saani revealed that guns are being printed with 3D technology and the obsolete law of 1972 cannot deal with these emerging trends.

There are about 1.2 million guns registered in the country, he revealed, but only 400, 000 get their licences renewed every year.

To him, the obsolete law mandates the Inspector-General of Police to monitor these arms but logistical constraints have made it impossible.

As far as he is concerned, an arms regulator will be better positioned to monitor the transportation, manufacturing and registration of weapons in the country.