Over 500,000 Ghanaians Have Weapons

The National Commission on Small Arms (NCSA) has expressed worry over the easy availability of guns and other weapons in the country. Currently according to the commission, about 500,000 legally acquired weapons are owned by civilians. However, there are no statistical records of illegally acquired ones. The commission�s comment follow the arrest of an Ivorian and two Ghanaians by the Asawase Police in the Ashanti Region after Custom officials found nine AK-47 assault rifles and a pistol concealed in sacks of kola nuts in their cargo truck. Speaking to XYZ News, Executive Secretary of the Commission on Small Arms, John Ablor called for stringent laws and strict monitoring mechanisms on the ownership and use of weapons by civilians. �Anyone who desires to own a weapon once you go through the procedure and their known to the Police, the weapon will be given to you. �The issue about weapons control is that you want to know the number of people�it is not trying to prevent people from owning it, it is the use of the weapon that we are worried about and the easy availability which affects our security and our developments�. Meanwhile, the former deputy Interior Minister, Captain retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey says the suspects arrested in Kumasi for attempting to smuggle weapons into the country should be dealt with according to the law.