National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons organized a three-day capacity-building workshop in Ho for Civil Society Organizations.
The objective of the workshop was to introduce and discuss issues on the emerging trends in Small Arms and Light Weapons in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Jones Applerh in his address revealed that the easy availability and abuse of small arms have a profound effect on violence in all forms.
According to him, the issue of Small Arms and Light Weapons should be a concern to everyone. He appealed to the CSOs to be more involved and also participate as they are important stakeholders when it comes to policymaking.
“CSOs can improve the quality of policymaking by providing state agencies with a wider spectrum of information, views and suggestions; voice the concerns and needs of minority groups who might otherwise not be heard, including women and youth”.
He also stated that arms proliferation affects the peace and serenity of the country and retard development.
“CSOs are also placed to identify the genuine/root causes insecurity, conflict or SALW problems that are affecting daily security and the life of our people”, he said.
He further revealed that Ghana has signed onto various international instruments such as ECOWAS Convention on small arms and light weapons, the Arms Trade Treaty, The African Union’s Agenda 2063’s Silencing the Guns and the Bamako Declaration on an African Common Position on the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The workshop was attended by over twenty representatives.