The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has issued a strong warning to individuals in possession of illegal firearms, stating that arrests and prosecutions will follow once the current nationwide gun amnesty period comes to an end.
Addressing a stakeholders’ seminar organised by the Gun Amnesty Programme Train in Ho, the Executive Secretary of NACSA, Dr Adam Bonaa, said the amnesty was a final opportunity for persons with illicit or unregistered weapons to surrender them without fear of arrest or prosecution. He cautioned that no one should assume their possession of a firearm was unknown to authorities, noting that intelligence gathering would intensify after the amnesty.
Dr Bonaa explained that the amnesty, which began on December 1, 2025, was backed by extensive public education to ensure that citizens were fully aware of the law and the consequences of non-compliance. He said individuals who wished to regularise their weapons could do so through the police, while those with prohibited arms were encouraged to surrender them for destruction. He added that thousands of firearms had already been retrieved nationwide without any incidents of intimidation or extortion, citing the voluntary surrender of an AK-47 rifle as evidence of the programme’s non-confrontational approach.
Participants at the seminar highlighted the growing misuse of firearms in chieftaincy disputes, land conflicts, religious spaces and schools, with speakers agreeing that reducing the availability of weapons would help de-escalate conflicts. ACP Samuel Okunor, Deputy Volta Regional Police Commander, pledged the police service’s full support for the programme and suggested incentives to encourage compliance, while cautioning against poorly regulated local firearm manufacturing.
The initiative drew strong backing from regional and traditional authorities. The Chief Director of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Mohammed Avona Akape, described the programme as timely, especially following a recent shooting incident at the Ho Central Mosque, and assured participants of continued security collaboration. The Paramount Queen Mother of Alavanyo, Mama Ametor Hoebuadzu II, also pledged the support of traditional leaders in promoting the amnesty, while calling for better regulation of local gunsmithing to protect communities and create lawful employment opportunities.
