Ghana launches gun amnesty programme amid rising violence

DW (English)

Ghana has rolled out a gun amnesty initiative, calling on citizens to surrender illegal firearms. With over two million illicit weapons in circulation, gun-related violence is escalating nationwide.

Transcript

00:00Idriso Yakubu Barber's life changed in seconds when armed bandits opened fire during an attack

00:06on a mobile money vendor in Waliwali, north of Ghana, in 2024.

00:12He was caught in the crossfire and severely injured.

00:16I was passing by.

00:18All of a sudden, I heard the gunshots.

00:23I had about three bullets.

00:28That passed through me.

00:30And one in my wrist.

00:34And the other two are the shoulder side.

00:39Ghana recorded 552 murders in 2024 and nearly 340 by mid-2025 crimes committed with unlicensed Ghanes.

00:52In response, Ghana has launched a gun amnesty program running through December and January.

00:58Urging citizens to voluntarily surrender their firearms.

01:02Any person who voluntarily hands over such weapons at designated collection point will be commended, not condemned.

01:12When this amnesty period ends, the law will take its full course.

01:18That Ghana police servants and all security agencies will intensify operations to recover illicit arms.

01:25Those who refuse this generous offer will be treated as criminals.

01:31The Kofi Anand International Peacekeeping and Training Center estimates over 2 million illegal guns are secluded in Ghana.

01:39Most of them are used for petty crimes, armed robberies, and communal conflicts.

01:45The success of this exercise would be very much dependent on the number of those guns that would be handed over to the authorities.

01:55The number of people who will be willing to hand over those weapons for free and the interest in the whole exercise.

02:07Yet, the widespread presence of small arms reflects deeper feelings among individuals about the state of safety in Ghana.

02:16Some residents pulled onto guns for personal protection from crime and targeted attacks.

02:23So maybe government have to make sure that there is insecurity so that people can maybe return their guns and be safe.

02:33Idrisu, a schoolteacher and father of seven, now struggles to work.

02:37He hopes that those responsible for these injuries will face justice.

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