WAANSA-Ghana rallies support of ministers for passage of National Small Arms Bill

As part of efforts to fast-track the passage of the National Small Arms Bill 2023, currently under review at the Ministry of the Interior, the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA)-Ghana is set to engage key ministers and stakeholders to tackle the growing threat of small arms proliferation.

The planned engagements will involve the Minister for the Interior, Minister for Defence, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Chief Justice, the National Security Coordinator, the National Commission on Small Arms, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, and other strategic actors.

Mr. Ken Kinney, President of WAANSA-Ghana, emphasized that these meetings are critical to advancing the bill, which aims to regulate the manufacture, possession, and distribution of small arms and light weapons in Ghana.

He explained that the proposed legislation will help reduce the risks associated with insecurity, armed conflict, and illicit arms trafficking. Importantly, the bill is designed to align Ghana’s legal framework with international standards and commitments, including the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Mr. Kinney pointed out that the country’s existing legal instruments—such as Act 118 of 1962 and Act 604 of 2001—contain significant gaps that hinder effective regulation. The new bill, he said, will provide a more robust and comprehensive legal framework to fill those gaps.

Key provisions in the bill include firearm marking and tracing, mandatory competency assessments for potential gun owners, and the establishment of effective data management systems to track weapons and prevent illegal diversion.

“The bill will play a vital role in promoting peace and security in Ghana,” Mr. Kinney noted, adding that it will also enhance coordination between security agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders in implementing small arms control measures.

The advocacy initiative is being supported by the SALIENT Fund Project, a United Nations funding mechanism under the Peacebuilding Fund. SALIENT focuses on helping countries address the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as armed violence, through integrated, sustainable development and security approaches.

In Ghana, the SALIENT project is implemented under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, with support from UNDP and UNODC, in collaboration with WAANSA-Ghana, the National Commission on Small Arms, and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). The project aims to embed small arms control within broader development planning.

WAANSA-Ghana has been assigned a lead role under the SALIENT initiative to drive advocacy for urgent legislative reforms. Mr. Kinney reaffirmed the network’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana passes a modern, effective small arms law to strengthen national security and uphold international obligations.