The Acting Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Mr Jones Applerh, has stressed the need for Ghana to intensify its efforts at combating the incidence of abuse of arms in Ghana.
He said the use of arms has the tendency to undermine Ghana?s development. Ridding the Nation of light weapons, he said, could only be achieved through continuous and sustained sensitization and awareness rising.
?The toll of small arms violence cannot simply be measured in gunshots wounds and cartridges used. It has serious effects on our development, human security and the Psychological trauma that victims would have to live with the rest of their lives,? he said.
Speaking at the launch of the community sensitisation programme by the Commission at the Bukom Park in the Odododiodio Constituency, Mr Applerh said gun abuse and the resort to violence to settle disputes does not pay, and the Commission was therefore working to ensure that the over 24.5 million Ghanaians are well informed about the dangers of the abuse of guns and were active collaborators in ensuring a peaceful Ghana.
He said although Ghana has had its fair share of gun violence, it has made progress in gun control, including the increase in police numbers and the provision of adequate logistics for them, the use of informants, the establishment of the Border Patrol unit of the Ghana Immigration Service for our Borders, and the amendment of sections of our criminal code to make illicit possession of guns a first degree felony.
According to him, even though Ghana?s situation is not that bad compared to other countries, it cannot be complacent and overlook the pockets of violence and seizure of arms and ammunitions in the country.
The Commission believes that anyone who intends to destroy the peace of the country should not be allowed to do so, he said, adding that ?we are all talking about peaceful elections in December, but we can achieve that when we strive to remove the tools of war and conflict which most of the time are small arms. I call on you all to be vigilant in this regard.?
He admonished all Ghanaians to co-operate with the security agencies by giving them reliable and prompt information on the activities of selfish individuals who intend to plunge the country into conflict, since any moment of delay may lead to disastrous consequences for the entire country.
Mr Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Interior, said small arms without doubt remain the key instruments used by disgruntled individuals and groups of persons to visit untold hardships and mayhem on the human race.
He said in Africa, armed conflicts have been largely responsible for underdevelopment, and the modest social, political and economic gains that many countries made have been eroded through armed conflict, saying the basic social infrastructure has witnessed irreparable damage and investors are driven away.
The illicit circulation of small arms, light weapons and their ammunition destabilizes communities, and their impact on security and development in all regions of the world and Ghana has been dire.
He noted that government views the phenomenon of proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons as both a security threat and a developmental issue, saying the easy availability of small arms provide tools for criminals who rob, intimidate, terrorize and even kill innocent citizens in their homes and on the highway and this creates an atmosphere of insecurity.
He said ?major initiatives have been undertaken to control the illicit proliferation of arms. The Police Computerisation, the acquisition of some weapons marking machines, training and support has been provided to the security agencies in small arms control particularly at our border posts.?
He encouraged all Ghanaians to be vigilant and report any suspicious characters to the police for the necessary action, since the security agencies were alert and would deal ruthlessly with people who will want to take advantage of the general elections to disturb the peace.
