… They warned that the lack of clarity could undermine public trust, especially following a recent gun amnesty programme led by the Interior Ministry and the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which saw thousands of weapons voluntarily surrendered or regularised. …
… The Interior Ministry has also indicated that thousands of households were affected as emergency agencies continue rescue, relief and recovery operations. …
The Interior Ministry has begun moves to disarm private security guards who use firearms acquired through personal permits, describing the practice as an abuse of Ghana’s gun licensing regime. …
Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, has thrown his support behind the Interior Ministry’s new firearm licensing reforms. …
… READ ALSO: Interior ministry overhauls firearm licensing system, introduces mental health and drug tests for applicants The proposed initiative forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen firearms regulation, enhance public safety, and ensure that licensed gun owners m …
The Interior Ministry has introduced sweeping changes to its firearm licensing regime, with the Ministry requiring mandatory mental health assessments, drug screening and structured training as part of a new effort to tighten gun control and improve public safety. …
… Mr Dafeamekpor further disclosed that the Interior Ministry is expected to table a Community Service Bill aimed at reducing prison congestion by introducing non-custodial sentencing for minor offences. …
… The Interior Ministry is also expected to table a Community Service Bill aimed at decongesting prisons by introducing non-custodial sentences for minor offences. …
… The Interior Ministry imposed a nightly curfew in response to the attack. Troops recovered a G3 automatic rifle, two filled magazines of 20 rounds each and 176 rounds of additional ammunition from a suspect who fled to a mosque. …
Civil society organisations have backed the government's decision to revoke or suspend all civilian firearm licences but raised concerns over implementation, citing risks of confusion, logistical bottlenecks, and legal uncertainty. The coalition questioned whether state institutions are prepared to execute the directive, including the practical execution, processing centres, cost of compliance, and capacity of institutions involved.
Why it matters
Civil society warns of implementation gaps in Ghana's firearm licence revocation directive, raising concerns over the government's capacity to execute a major public safety policy.
Civil society organisations have backed the government's decision to revoke or suspend all civilian firearm licences but raised concerns over implementation, citing risks of confusion, logistical bottlenecks, and legal uncertainty. The coalition questioned whether state institutions are prepared to execute the directive, including the practical execution, processing centres, cost of compliance, and capacity of institutions involved.
The Minority in Parliament has demanded the immediate dissolution of the seven-member presidential task force chaired by Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe, arguing that Monday's devastating floods in Accra that claimed at least 12 lives demonstrate the committee's failure to deliver meaningful interventions despite more than a year of operation. The opposition has also called for a full parliamentary investigation into the task force's activities and an urgent public health response to prevent disease outbreaks.
Ghana's Interior Ministry is moving to disarm private security guards who acquired firearms through personal permits, which the minister describes as an abuse of the gun licensing regime. Private security companies have exploited a loophole in outdated laws—the Police Act of 1970 and 1992 regulations—to arm personnel, despite having no legal mandate to carry firearms.
Deputy Ranking Member Kofi Amankwa-Manu supports the Interior Ministry's new firearm licensing reforms requiring mental health assessments, drug screening and firearms training, but questions the government's decision to withdraw existing licences, proposing integration into the annual renewal system instead.
The Interior Ministry will partner with the private sector to establish shooting ranges across Ghana to promote responsible firearm ownership and improve weapons handling standards. Currently, Ghana has only one recognised shooting range at Tesano in Accra, and expanding access would enable licensed gun owners to undergo regular training.
Ghana's Interior Ministry has overhauled its firearm licensing system to require mandatory mental health assessments, drug screening, and structured training before applicants can obtain or renew gun licenses. Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak announced the reforms as a effort to close gaps in the current system and improve public safety.
Ghana's Interior Ministry will publicly destroy all seized weapons on July 9 as the country's gun amnesty programme concludes. The government is introducing stricter firearm licensing conditions, including mandatory mental health assessments, drug testing, and shooting range training, following concerns over misuse of legally registered weapons.
Parliament resumes sitting on 21 May, marking the start of the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. Lawmakers are expected to deliberate on major bills and policy reforms across transport, energy, justice, security, and governance.
Parliament reconvened on Thursday, May 21, with a legislative agenda covering transport (Maritime and Related Offences Bill, Road Traffic Regulations), energy (National Petroleum Authority review, private sector electricity distribution participation, Nuclear Power Corporation Bill 2026, Renewable Energy Authority establishment), security, justice, and governance reforms, according to the Majority Chief Whip.
A military convoy escorting 140 civilians came under fire in Binduri on Monday, killing three civilians and seven assailants, according to the Ghana Armed Forces. The attack is linked to a longstanding ethnic dispute in the Bawku area that has claimed more than 300 lives since 2021.