ACCRA, 18 NOVEMBER 2025 — At a press briefing at the Information Services Department, the Hon. Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak declared a nationwide Gun Amnesty which will be in effect from 1st December 2025 to 15th January 2026.
He noted that the initiative comes after broad consultations with the Ghana Police Service, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, our security agencies, traditional leaders, religious organizations, and civil society.
The objective of the Gun Amnesty Programme (GAP) with the theme “Silencing the guns to save our lives” is to provide every law-abiding Ghanaian who holds an unregistered or illicit firearm the opportunity to surrender it without fear of interrogation, arrest, or prosecution. This initiative aims to ultimately reduce the volume of illicit arms in circulation in the country.
During the address, the Hon. Minister highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that unregistered and unlawfully held weapons are “fueling armed robbery, violent disputes, chieftaincy and land conflicts, and domestic violence”. These weapons turn minor disagreements into bloodshed and rob the nation of its citizens. “Every illicit firearm in circulation is a silent threat… it may lie hidden in a cupboard, under a bed, or buried in the bush, but at any moment, it can destroy lives and families forever. We cannot continue to bury our loved ones while the tools of violence remain unchecked”.
The amnesty period which spans six weeks is described as a “window of grace,” for the voluntary surrender of illicit firearms. Any person who voluntarily hands over illicit or unregistered weapons at designated collection points will be commended as a patriot and will face no interrogation, arrest, or prosecution.However, the Minister issued a clear warning stating that “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, and those who refuse this generous offer “will be treated as criminals, and the consequences will be firm and uncompromising”.
In addition to the amnesty, the Minister announced several comprehensive measures which will be implemented to promote a gun-violence-free Ghana and ensure a lasting impact. To start, the importation, sale, and registration of firearms will be suspended during the amnesty window. Furthermore, there will be a temporary ban on the use of firearms in traditional celebrations, alongside ongoing dialogue with traditional authorities to regulate firearm use during festivals.
To secure the country’s borders, security will be enhanced to prevent arms trafficking. Critically, Joint Security Operations will be conducted post-amnesty to retrieve illicit weapons and prosecute offenders, including intensified swoops and searches in crime hotspots and known criminal networks. The government has already laid the groundwork for the initiative through technical planning meetings, consultative engagements with various stakeholders including Regional MiniHosters, Chiefs, Ambassadors, Arms Dealers, and Opinion Leaders, as well as public sensitization campaigns, and the training of Amnesty Officials.
The Hon. Minister concluded the address with a heartfelt plea for national support, emphasising that the amnesty “is not a showpiece” or “a witch-hunt,” but “a life-saving initiative”. He called upon chiefs, elders, religious leaders, opinion leaders, and the media to amplify the message and encourage their communities to surrender illicit firearms, urging the nation to “build a culture of dialogue, not violence—of safety, not fear”. “Ghana’s destiny is too precious to be stolen by bullets. Our children deserve playgrounds, not battlegrounds. Our families deserve laughter, not funerals… Together, let us silence the guns—for our safety, for our children, and for our future”. The speech ended with a powerful affirmation: Guns Down, Ghana Up!
