Essikado, Western Region – The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), with the support of the Saving Lives Entity fund (SALIENT) and in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for Drug and Crime (UNODC), has concluded a three-day public education and sensitization campaign in Essikado to tackle the escalating menace of illicit small arms proliferation in the Western Region.
Themed “Silence the Gun to Save a Life,” the campaign aimed to highlight the dangers of illicit firearms and foster peaceful coexistence, especially in the lead-up to Ghana’s 2024 general elections.
Essikado, a critical hub in the Western Region, has increasingly faced challenges such as illegal mining and its associated gun trafficking and violence, with its strategic proximity to Takoradi Harbor and the Cote d’Ivoire border exposing it to cross-border small arms and light weapons trafficking and piracy. These issues have amplified the urgency of the Commission’s intervention.
The campaign began with courtesy calls to key regional stakeholders, including the Paramount Chief of Essikado, the Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, and officials from the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service.
Nana Kobina Nketsia V, the Paramount Chief of Essikado, set the tone during the campaign’s opening, emphasizing the historical resilience of his people against violence. He linked the proliferation of arms to greed and political power struggles, stating, “This project is an important step towards ensuring that our region remains peaceful.”
A key highlight was a peace walk involving over 400 students from five local schools. Marching through Essikado’s streets, they carried placards bearing messages like “End Gun Violence” and “Silence the Gun to Save a Life” among others.
The campaign also featured a public screening of the documentary “Cry Freetown” at Essikado Taxi Station. The film, which depicts the devastating impact of illicit arms during Sierra Leone’s civil war, aimed to leave an impression on attendees, reinforcing the importance of preventing gun violence.
The event was climaxed with a community durbar at the Positive Heritage Circle with over 600 participants, including students, teachers, religious leaders, and community members, gathered to echo the call for peace.
Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Samuel Williams Yeboah, Executive Secretary of the Commission, emphasized the need for sustained advocacy and the critical role of education and sensitization on small arms and light weapons abuse in shaping the next generation. “By reaching young people in schools, we are sowing the seeds of a peaceful future,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the United Nations and its Agencies, Mr. Manuel Martinez from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs underscored the effects of illicit small arms, which included people fleeing their homes and being refugees, destruction of homes, streets, and schools and also fueling domestic, political & social violence. He therefore called on all stakeholders in Ghana to join hands in the fight to silence the gun and save lives.
Delivering the keynote address after a touching and lesson-filled drama by the Diabene Senior High School Drama Group the Queen mother of the Essikado Traditional area, Obaahemaa Nana Ekuwa Kodu II urged the people of Essikado to do away with the small arms and light weapons. She further entreated her subjects who are in possession of illicit small arms to voluntarily surrender them to the police service through the Commission.
This initiative was supported by the SALIENT fund, implemented by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP, with funding from nations such as Finland, France, Germany, and Japan. The fund addresses the root causes of armed violence, promoting sustainable security and development in regions most affected by small arms.
