Government has announced a nationwide Gun Amnesty programme aimed at reducing the proliferation of illicit firearms and addressing the rise in violent crime across the country.
Launching the initiative, the Interior Minister, Muntaka Mubarak warned that illegal weapons are increasingly linked to robberies, murders, chieftaincy disputes, and domestic violence.
He noted that in 2024 alone, there were 1,219 reported robberies and 552 murders, while as of July 2025 the country had already recorded 628 robberies and 340 murder cases.
“Across our beloved nation, illicit firearms have infiltrated our homes, workplaces, social gatherings, and even our schools,” the Minister said, stressing the urgent need for action.
The amnesty, which runs from 1st December 2025 to 15th January 2026, allows citizens holding unregistered or illegal guns to surrender them at designated points nationwide.
According to the Minister, “It offers every law-abiding Ghanaian who holds an unregistered or illicit firearm the opportunity to surrender it—without fear of interrogation, arrest, or prosecution.”
Mr. Mubarak made clear, however, that the grace period will not last indefinitely. “When this amnesty period ends, the law will take its full course. The Ghana Police Service and all security agencies will intensify operations to recover illicit arms,” he cautioned.
Alongside the amnesty, government measures include a temporary suspension of new firearm import and sales permits, a ban on firearm use during traditional celebrations, strengthened border security, and intensified security operations in crime-prone areas.
The Minister urged community leaders, religious bodies and the media to support the national effort, saying, “Every firearm surrendered is one less tool of destruction, one less weapon in the hands of criminals, and one more step toward a peaceful Ghana.”
