Control illicit trade of small arms in Ghana - Board of NCSALW told

Ambrose Dery, the Minister of Interior, has charged the Board of the Small Arms Commission, to put in robust measures to effectively control the illicit trade, manufacture, and flow of small arms and light weapons into the country.

That, he said called for enhanced and sustainable preventive approaches and raising the alertness and the capacities of the security agencies, especially at entry points of the country.

The Minister gave the advice at the inauguration of a 15-member Board of National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCSALW) in Accra.

He said though Ghana was widely seen as a beacon of peace and a shining example of democracy and good governance in the West African Region, chieftaincy and land disputes, inciteful language in the media, and the security situation in neighbouring countries remained challenges to the country's internal security.

Small Arms and Light Weapons, the Minister, stated were major threats to the peace and must be addressed.

He said the country was also witnessing new forms of security threats characterised by terrorism, insurgency, maritime insecurity, cybercrimes, rising levels of violent extremism, and transnational organized crimes, which must also be watched.

Those threats, he said had devastating effects on internal security and civilian populations, because they relied heavily on small arms and light weapons as major tools for executing evil acts.

The United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs revealed that about 875 million Small Arms and Light Weapons are currently in circulation globally.

Studies have also shown that a lot of Small Arms and Light Weapons move from the licit to the illicit market through weak control and monitoring mechanisms.

He said extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Dine, Mozambique- ISIS had used idle youth and small arms and light weapons to hit soft targets in neighbouring countries Mali, Nigeria, and recently Burkina Faso.

The Minister said the fight against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons was a key priority for Government and that stopping the menace would prevent conflict, enhance internal security, prevent violent crimes and promote sustainable development.

In 2020 the Ministry facilitated and supported the Commission to set up offices in five regions - Ashanti, Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Western Regions and at Aflao Border Post.

Prof Paul Frimpong Manso, the Board Chairman of the Commission, thanked Government for the opportunity and pledged the commitment of members of the Board to guide the Commission to make great strides in achieving its mandate.

The Board members are: Mr Jones Borteye Applerh from the Commission; Mr Gabriel Nsoh Ade Agana and J.O Sylvester Nkrumah, presidential nominees; Colonel Foster Ohene Okae-Yeboah and Colonel Gaspard D.K.Asare of the Ghana Armed Forces, COP Ken Yeboah and COP Christian Tetteh Yohunu from the Ghana Police Service.

The rest are: Mr Emmanuel Owus-Boakye, Ghana Revenue Authority; Mr Laud Ofori Afrifa, Ghana Immigration Service; Mrs Mavis Esi Kusorgbor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Mr Solomon Tetteh Mensah, Ministry of Interior; Mrs Sefakor Batse, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice and Mrs Baffour Dokyi Amoa, Civil Society organization.