The government has revoked all firearm licences previously issued to private individuals and announced a mandatory re-registration exercise as part of efforts to tighten gun control across the country.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak announced the decision at a press briefing in Accra, describing it as a necessary step to address shortcomings in the existing licensing regime and improve public safety.
Under the new system, firearm owners will be required to apply afresh for licences and undergo enhanced screening procedures, including mental health evaluations, drug tests and compulsory firearms training before approval is granted.
Explaining the decision, the Minister cited concerns about the misuse of legally registered firearms, including cases involving self-harm.
“In the last few months, we have seen an increase in some individuals committing suicide with fire arms that are registered. Because of that from this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual is hereby revoked.
“We are revoking them and we are opening a window where everyone will have to come forward again to re-register their guns because we have changed the procedure. We have realised that there is a short gap in the registration procedure that we’ve been using,” he said.
The announcement forms part of a broader national strategy to reduce the circulation of firearms and strengthen oversight of gun ownership.
The Interior Minister also disclosed that more than 4,000 unregistered firearms had been surrendered under the government’s gun amnesty programme, which was introduced to encourage voluntary compliance with firearms regulations.
“Government initiated the gun amnesty program with a clear and urgent objective to confront the threat posed by unregistered and illicit firearms to the lives, livelihood and national development,” Mr Mubarak stated.
“I am pleased to report that this approach yielded meaningful results. A total of 4,038 unregistered firearms were surrendered to the Ghana Police,” he added.
Authorities have further announced plans to destroy over 2,000 weapons that were either surrendered voluntarily or seized during enforcement operations.
