By: Adams Perpetual
Ghana is taking a bold step to fight the rise of illegal guns. Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has announced a six-week national gun amnesty to help remove dangerous weapons from homes, streets, and communities. He explained that illegal guns are now found in schools, workplaces, funerals, and festivals, causing robberies, murders, and violent conflicts. Every illegal gun, he said, is “a silent threat” that can destroy a family at any moment.
Speaking in a press conference on November 18, 2025,the Minister revealed worrying numbers. In 2024, Ghana recorded 1,219 robbery cases and 552 murder cases. By July this year, there were already 628 robbery cases and 340 murder cases many involving illegal weapons. This is why the government is giving the public a chance to surrender unregistered guns from 1st December 2025 to 15th January 2026 without arrest or punishment. Anyone who hands in a gun will be praised as a patriot helping to keep Ghana safe.
During the six-week period, the government is banning all forms of gun use at funerals, festivals, and celebrations. What used to be simple gunpowder displays has turned into pump actions, pistols, AK-47s, and even G3 rifles being fired at events. The Minister said the government does not want fights with traditional leaders, but for this short time, no guns should be seen anywhere. After the amnesty, the government will work with chiefs to train and regulate people who handle ceremonial gunpowder so that traditions can continue safely.
The Minister also announced stronger security measures. Border checks will now use advanced weapon-detection devices, not just metal detectors. After the amnesty, police and security agencies will conduct aggressive operations to retrieve illegal weapons and arrest offenders. They will target criminal hotspots, gangs, and known networks. Public education campaigns, meetings with chiefs and regional ministers, and training for amnesty officers are all underway to ensure success.
Mr. Mubarak called on chiefs, pastors, imams, opinion leaders, and the media to help spread the message. He said Ghana’s children deserve playgrounds, not battlegrounds, and families deserve laughter , not funerals. He urged all citizens to surrender illegal guns and choose dialogue instead of violence. “Guns down, Ghana up,” he declared,reminding everyone that a peaceful nation begins with the choices we make today.
