1.3m weapons circulating in Ghana

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More than one million unregistered weapons have been smuggled into Ghana, according to the findings of a preliminary investigation conducted by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

As reported by the online news site Ghana Web, the chairman of the commission on small arms and light weapons, Brigadier General Francis Agyemfra, is concerned about the security of the state and wants measures in place to retrieve the weapons.

“We are very much concerned about the spread of illicit arms and their possible impact on our democracy especially those that could be triggered by violence,” Brigadier Gen Francis Agyemfra was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the executive secretary of the Small Arms Commission, Jones Aplerh, says the findings by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre are worrying.


“As at 2004 the number of illicit weapons was around 240,000”, said Aplerh, stressing the recent figures is cause for concern.”

“What we need to worry about is the demand-driven factors; the long-standing land and cheiftaincy issues”, he pointed out.

He said government agencies and other stakeholders must work together to settle disputes in violence hotspots.

By Beata Stur with NewsEurope

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