The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), organized a two-day capacity-building and training workshop in Elubo, Western Region. The workshop aimed to enhance the capabilities of state institutions in detecting, identifying, and preventing the illicit trafficking of small arms. This event was part of the broader SALIENT Project, which seeks to strengthen national and regional security by tackling the proliferation of small arms.
The training brought together thirty (30) representatives from sixteen (16) border agencies, fostering interagency coordination and cooperation in the fight against cross-border arms smuggling. The participants, comprising both men and women from various security institutions, were tasked with learning to manage crime scenes, handle suspects, and gather intelligence on illicit arms trafficking.
During the opening remarks, Mr. Samuel Williams Yeboah, Executive Secretary of the Commission, highlighted the ongoing violence in the Sahel and its spillover into the Gulf of Guinea, emphasizing that border areas have become strategic locations for organized crime networks. These networks exploit poorly controlled borders and a lack of interagency collaboration, thereby threatening national security.
Mr. Yeboah urged the participants to actively engage in the workshop’s modules, which aimed to address these pressing challenges. His remarks underscored the critical need for stronger coordination between security agencies to prevent the diversion and smuggling of small arms and to safeguard border security.
DCOI Mr. Joshua Krakue, the Sector Commander of Immigration and Vice Chairman of the Elubo Border Security Committee (BORSEC), reinforced the importance of building the capacities of border security agencies to combat the proliferation of small arms. He applauded the Commission’s timely intervention and appealed for more personnel to be deployed to the border to enhance their efforts.
The workshop also included a participatory methodology, with presentations on topics such as the mandate of the Commission, the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms, and the legal framework governing small arms in Ghana.
Mr. Leonard Tettey, Project Coordinator for the SALIENT Project in Ghana, linked the participants’ expectations to their line of duty, ensuring that the training addressed real-world challenges at the border. His presentation emphasized the need for sustainability, noting that the training would be replicated in other border areas and seaports to continue equipping officers with the necessary skills.
Mr. Bernard H. Asamoah from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shed light on the growing challenges posed by illicit markets and advancements in technology, such as the “Dark Web,” which have made it easier to access small arms and light weapons (SALWs) through black markets. He noted that as detection technologies improve, traffickers continue to adapt, using increasingly sophisticated methods to evade law enforcement, complicating efforts to curb arms trafficking and therefore called for systematic and timely tracing of illicit firearms to track their legal transfers and pinpoint when they enter the illegal market.
As the workshop concluded, participants expressed their enhanced understanding of small arms detection and the roles of their respective institutions in preventing arms trafficking. Certificates were presented to the attendees, marking their commitment to applying these skills in their daily operations.
