Thursday, 13 November

Ghana launches Gun Amnesty Programme to combat illicit firearms

General News
Participants in a group photo after the event

Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi,  the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of the Interior on behalf of the Minister for the Interior, Alhaji  Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has launched a nationwide Gun Amnesty Programme aimed at reducing the proliferation and misuse of small arms in the country.

Speaking at the opening of a Trainer of Trainers Workshop for the programme, the Deputy Minister emphasised the need for Ghanaians to voluntarily surrender their unregistered or illicit firearms without fear of interrogation, arrest, or prosecution.

The programme, he said, was designed to remove illicit firearms from circulation, enhance public safety, and reinforce Ghana's reputation as a haven of peace and security in West Africa.

He urged citizens to take advantage of the programme, assuring them that it is not a trap to identify and arrest those who surrender their firearms.

The Gun Amnesty Programme is part of the government's efforts to strengthen arms control in the country, with a proposed National Arms Bill in its final stages.

The Deputy Minister called on trained officers to carry out their duties with honesty, patience, and respect, and to build trust with the communities they serve.

The programme is expected to enhance Ghana's security and prevent future tragedies, and he expressed confidence that the training would equip officers to lead the change.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Edem Afanou