The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) strongly condemns the recent increase in the display and misuse of firearms that have shaken communities in the Ashanti Region, the Northern Regions and the nation at large.
On April 4, 2025, one student of the Seventh Day Adventist Senior High School in Bantama, in the Ashanti Region, sustained injuries which have reportedly left her blind after a fellow student accidentally discharged a firearm during break time. In a separate incident in February, a Queen Mother of the Ga-Adagme Muslim Union was shot and killed accidentally during her enskinment ceremony— a moment that should have marked celebration and cultural pride. Also, earlier this year, prominent journalist Kofi Adomah sustained a serious injury after being accidentally shot in the eye at a funeral in Dormaa, in the Bono Region. Finally, a video recently circulating on social media showed some young men wielding and indiscriminately firing illicit arms at a funeral.
NACSA is deeply concerned about these gun-related incidents and is intensifying its efforts across all areas to address the issue comprehensively. NACSA is expanding its risk education and public sensitisation campaigns, particularly in schools and vulnerable communities, and also through media engagements. Recently, NACSA Officers from the Ashanti Regional Office visited the SDA Senior High School to engage students directly on the dangers of weapon possession and misuse. Furthermore, in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Commission has sensitised students of some tertiary institutions, including the Pantang Nursing and Midwifery Training College, the Methodist University College and IPMC, to name a few. These engagements are part of a broader national outreach to build a culture of peace, nonviolence and accountability among the youth and the wider public.
Beyond education, the Commission is implementing robust measures to curtail both the supply and demand of arms—through enhanced border control, joint security operations with the Ashanti Regional Security Council, and ongoing weapons destruction exercises to aid in tracking and removing illicit arms from circulation. The Commission’s plan to regulate the weapons used for traditional activities and celebratory shootings will start with the marking of the weapons used by the Nungua Traditional Council. This exercise will then be replicated nationwide. In addition, the Commission will train persons designated by the traditional councils to use these firearms as well as provide them with a form of identification. Through this collaboration, we seek to ensure that firearms used in cultural and traditional settings are registered, properly accounted for and used responsibly.
The Commission continues to advocate for stronger arms legislation to enhance enforcement and compliance mechanisms. NACSA also encourages communities to remain vigilant and proactive in reporting illegal arms activities.
Members of the public are urged to report incidents of illegal arms possession or misuse by contacting National Security on 999, the Ghana Police Service on 18555, or NACSA directly via phone or through WhatsApp on +233 (0)59 907 0944. Speaking up helps break the culture of silence that allows illegal arms activities to thrive. NACSA reaffirms our commitment to protecting lives and promoting a peaceful, gun-violence-free Ghana.