By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (GNACSA), Mohammed Gali Salam, has announced plans by the commission to destroy weapons surrendered by civilians during the month-long amnesty period.
“The weapons submitted will be destroyed using the weapon destruction machine instead of burning them,” he said.
Speaking on the GTV breakfast show on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Mr. Salam announced that the amnesty, which runs from December 1 to January 15, 2026, encourages individuals with illicit arms to surrender them to any police station without fear of arrest, prosecution, extortion, or harassment. However, failure to do so before the deadline would not push the commission into tampering justice with mercy.
The commission assures privacy for those surrendering weapons, although names and contact numbers will be collected to provide receipts.
He also added that no weapon, especially the AK-47 rifle, should be in the hands of a civilian.
He emphasized that the commission has acquired a weapon detection machine capable of detecting buried weapons, making it likely that those who fail to surrender their arms will be caught.
“We urge all individuals with illicit arms to take advantage of this amnesty and surrender their weapons,” Mr. Salam said. “The best option is to surrender and avoid being found with these weapons.”
The commission aims to reduce the proliferation of small arms in Ghana and promote a culture of peace and safety. The destruction of surrendered weapons will be a significant step towards achieving this goal.
The public is hereby encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to surrender any illicit arms, including AK-47s and other prohibited weapons, to any police station.
