The Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, has begun destroying more than 2,000 surrendered and seized firearms following the successful completion of the government’s nationwide gun amnesty programme.
The exercise, conducted in accordance with international protocols, forms part of efforts to permanently remove illegal weapons from circulation, prevent their misuse, and strengthen national security.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, more than 4,000 unlicensed firearms were voluntarily surrendered during the eight-week gun amnesty period, which allowed individuals possessing illegal weapons to hand them over without facing prosecution.
Speaking at a destruction ceremony held at the Ghana Police Training School in Accra on Thursday, July 9, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah said the initiative marks the beginning of a new phase focused on enforcing Ghana’s firearms laws.
“The conclusion of the Gun Amnesty Programme marked the end of a period of voluntary compliance. We have now entered a phase of full enforcement of the post-gun amnesty measures,” he said.
Government Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Weapons
Mr. Debrah explained that destroying the firearms is intended to prevent them from falling back into the hands of criminals through diversion or illegal trafficking.
He assured the public that the government will continue to equip security agencies with the resources needed to carry out intelligence-led operations aimed at identifying and retrieving illicit firearms across the country.
He also issued a strong warning to individuals who continue to possess firearms without lawful authorisation, stressing that they will face the full rigours of the law.
The destruction of the surrendered weapons forms part of the government’s broader strategy to improve public safety, reduce armed crime, and strengthen Ghana’s internal security through stricter enforcement of firearms regulations.
