Ghana: Weak punishment for illegal guns fuelling crime – Small Arms Commission

On August 20, 2025, 2:45 AM

Ghana’s outdated firearms laws are allowing armed suspects to avoid harsh punishment, leaving citizens increasingly exposed to gun-related crimes, Adam Bonaa, Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, has said.

In a television interview with Joy News on Tuesday [August 19, 2025], Dr Bonaa explained that under current legislation, the unlawful possession of a gun is treated “largely as a misdemeanour” unless the weapon is directly linked to a crime.

He said this gap has made it difficult to control the rising circulation of firearms across the country.

“We have too many of them in the system,” he warned, noting that many of the weapons are either smuggled through poorly monitored borders or locally manufactured by unregulated blacksmiths.

“At the moment, there is no data capturing these people, and that is what is making it very difficult to fight it.”

Dr Bonaa said police and other security agencies rely heavily on intelligence-led operations to seize illegal weapons, but cautioned that such measures cannot succeed without stronger laws.

He called on Parliament to quickly pass the pending Firearms Regulation Bill, which is under review at the Interior Ministry.

“The only time they get to be punished severely is when they are on their way to commit crimes using the weapon. Until then, it becomes very difficult to deal with this canker,” he said.

His concerns came after the Ashanti Regional Police Command intercepted a vehicle on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Aputuogya near Kuntanase.

Officers retrieved an AK-47 rifle, a locally manufactured gun, loaded magazines, and several rounds of ammunition. The suspects abandoned the car and fled after spotting a police patrol team.

Dr Bonaa also warned that the circulation of arms could increase tensions during traditional festivals and chieftaincy disputes. He cautioned against what he described as “promiscuous shooting in the atmosphere” with live bullets, a practice that has persisted despite repeated police warnings.

He said the proposed firearms law would require local gunmakers to register with the authorities, introduce tougher penalties for unlawful possession, and close loopholes that criminals exploit. Until that law is passed, Dr Bonaa warned, Ghana faces “an unending cycle” of illegal weapons and violent crime.

Source: TheGhanaReport | Read Full Story…