The National Commission on Small Arms and its collaborating Agencies have been charged to intensify their effort in the collection and destruction of seized fire arms.

 

Weapons collection and destruction is one of the strategies for small arms control and management in any society. To this end, the Police, based on intelligence, retrieve and seize illicit arms periodically through cordon and search, special operations, etc and these weapons must be destroyed.

Mr. Dery made the call in a speech read on his behalf at a ceremony held in Accra to destroy over two thousand, seven hundred  (2,700) illicit small seized from crime scenes and individuals.

 

According to the Minister, the objective of the destruction exercise, which was the sixth, was to prevent those illicit guns from  being recycled into society and also to clearly demonstrates government’s  abhorrence to illicitly held small arms.

 

He regretted the devastating impact proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons has had on the socio-economic development of individuals and countries as a whole.

“In recent times, we have witnessed the abuse of illicit small arms to commit acts of terrorism and transnational organized crime. Illicit small arms and light weapons would continue to threaten the peace and security of the sub-region if nothing is done about the situation.” He said.

Mr. Dery further revealed that, the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government aspires to govern a country that is free from illicit small arms and that the destruction was ample demonstration of Government’s commitment to deal with the small arms menace.

He therefore used the opportunity to urge all those in possession of illicit firearms to surrender them to the Police.

He further advised civilians in possession of small arms but with expired licenses to renew them as soon as possible to avoid falling foul of the law.

The Hon. Minister urged Ghanaians, civil society and development partners to help volunteer information to the law enforcement agencies so as to keep the country safe and secured.

 

Source: Public Relations Unit, Ministry of the Interior