Small Arms Commission commends passage of LI

The Project Assistant at the Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission, Mr. Gyebi Asante, has commended Parliament for the passage of the Legislative Instrument (LI), which would enable the commission to regulate its own activities.

The LI will make the Commission an independent body with the sole responsibility of managing its affairs.

Mr Asante noted that the Commission, which is currently under the Ministry of the Interior, would soon become autonomous when the President finally assents the LI.

"This will make the Commission more effective in its operations as it will enable it to take decisions and implement them", he said, adding, “this would also improve our sensitisation and awareness creation on the dangers of small arms to the public.”

Mr Asante told the GNA in Accra that the Commission intended to establish an Educational Unit to create awareness among the various schools in the country.

He stated that most of the weapons retrieved from robbers and in conflict zones in the country were mostly produced by local manufacturers such as blacksmiths.

Mr Asante said the Commission was working closely with the local manufactures of SALW to give them an alternative source of livelihood in order to stop the production of arms.

He stated that the possession of arms was illegal and called on the public, especially the Ghana Private Road Transportation Union not to support unscrupulous individuals who would want to hide such weapons in their vehicles.

Source: GNA