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.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
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.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Interior Minister says the government is engaging traditional authorities to strictly regulate firearm use at cultural gatherings and outdooring ceremonies, ensuring only trained and authorised individuals handle weapons during these events to enhance public safety.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has stated that private security organisations are not permitted to carry firearms and announced enforcement action against companies that breach this regulation. He warned that individuals cannot use personally licenced firearms for private security operations and said the Ministry will intensify crackdowns on firms failing to comply with prescribed operational standards.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The government has allocated approximately 10,000 hectares of land for Burkinabe asylum seekers to engage in farming through the Ghana Refugee Agriculture Project Support Programme, aimed at promoting self-reliance and reducing land competition with host communities. More than 10,000 asylum seekers from Burkina Faso have sought refuge in northern Ghana as of May 2025, fleeing armed conflict and climate-induced shocks.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Interior Minister announced that the Office of the President will determine which government appointees may use sirens on official vehicles, requiring applicants to demonstrate genuine need for official duties. President Mahama has instructed that unauthorised siren users be reported and that all requests be forwarded to his office for approval.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
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.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Interior Minister announced the immediate suspension of all registered firearm licenses in Ghana, effective June 23 noon, citing gaps in the licensing regime and compliance breaches. The directive is part of broader reforms aimed at improving oversight and national security, following a shooting incident involving a succession dispute.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
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.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →