Ghana has taken another major step in the fight against illegal weapons, with the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) destroying seized, surrendered and obsolete firearms during the 8th National Arms Destruction Ceremony held at the Police Depot in Tesano, Accra.
The event, held on Thursday, July 9, to commemorate the United Nations International Small Arms Destruction Day, forms part of the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public safety, curb the proliferation of illicit weapons and promote lasting peace.
Speaking at the ceremony, Executive Secretary of NACSA, Dr. Adam Bonaa, said the destruction exercise follows the successful implementation of the Gun Amnesty Programme, which gave thousands of Ghanaians the opportunity to voluntarily surrender or regularise unregistered firearms and ammunition.
According to him, permanently destroying the recovered weapons will prevent them from finding their way back into criminal hands and reduce the risk of their misuse.
Dr. Bonaa noted that Ghana has, for the first time, adopted an internationally recognised weapons destruction method that permanently disables firearms before they are recycled. He explained that the new approach aligns the country’s arms management practices with global standards while supporting environmentally responsible disposal of weapons.
He also acknowledged the technical support provided by international humanitarian organisation The HALO Trust, which trained officers from NACSA and the Ghana Police Service on internationally accepted firearm destruction techniques.
The Executive Secretary further commended the Ministry for the Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, other security agencies and development partners for their collaboration in making the Gun Amnesty Programme and the destruction exercise successful.
Highlighting Ghana’s growing recognition on the international stage, Dr. Bonaa announced that he has been re-elected as Chair of the Diversion Information Exchange Forum (DIEF) under the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) for a second consecutive term, describing it as a reflection of the country’s commitment to effective arms control.
He reaffirmed NACSA’s commitment to tackling the spread of illicit small arms through public education, stakeholder engagement, research, stronger border security and international cooperation.
“As these weapons are permanently destroyed today, we reinforce a simple but powerful message: firearms that threaten our peace have no place in our communities,” he said.
The ceremony brought together government officials, security chiefs, diplomats, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and members of the media, all united in support of efforts to build a safer and more peaceful Ghana.
