The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons is rolling out new measures to regulate the use of firearms during traditional and cultural ceremonies in Ghana, following a troubling rise in fatal incidents linked to musketry.
The Commission, in collaboration with national security agencies, has begun a nationwide inventory and training exercise for individuals who handle firearms during these cultural events.
The initiative seeks to prevent further injuries and deaths by ensuring only trained and authorized persons are allowed to use these weapons.
Musketry has long been a vibrant element of Ghanaian traditional festivities, symbolizing valor and heritage, however, recent tragedies including the death of a newly enskinned traditional leader Naa Borley Nelson, aka Naa Gamu, a queen mother of Ga Adangme Muslim Union and injuries sustained by journalist Kofi Adoma have sparked concern over the unregulated and sometimes reckless use of firearms.
Speaking in an Interview on Joy News, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons Dr. Adam Bonaa noted “One of your colleagues in the media, Kofi Adoma, someone who is not trained, fires a weapon a musketry and charged gunpowder goes into his eyes. Now he has challenges.”
“Another case during the outdooring of a queen mother of Ga Adangme Muslim Union someone emptied bullets into the woman. Unfortunately, she died. It means people are doing things that must not be done.”
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Dr. Bonaa highlighted a worrying shift from traditional musket use to more dangerous firearms such as pump-action guns loaded with pellets.
To curb misuse, the Commission is working with the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs and plans to mark all ceremonial weapons for traceability and accountability.
“We’re introducing a tagging system. Just like a media person wears identification in a conflict zone, ceremonial weapons will be tagged. If someone shows up with an unmarked weapon, we will be able to identify and neutralize that threat,” he explained.
Dr. Bonaa added that the Commission will soon meet with the Speaker of Parliament and other key stakeholders to advance discussions on the bill and ensure timely implementation stating, “In the past, muskets were fired and people were not injured. Today, the situation is different, and we must act now to protect lives,” Dr. Bonaa said.
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