WAANSA reiterates calls for legislative reforms following armed landguard incident in Accra

The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) on Thursday expressed deep concern over the recent violent incident in Accra involving suspected landguards who reportedly fired at workers and were found in possession of official Ghana Armed Forces weapons.

“This alarming development underscores the urgent need to address the proliferation and diversion of small arms and light weapons in Ghana and across the sub-region,” Mr. Ken Kinney, WAANSA Ghana President, stated in an interview with Modern Ghana News in Accra.

According to media reports, police responded to a distress call and confronted approximately 50 armed individuals. Six suspects were arrested following a pursuit, and authorities seized three firearms, 23 rounds of ammunition, and four motorbikes.

The suspects and exhibits have since been transferred to the Accra Regional Headquarters for further investigation.

"The discovery of Ghana Armed Forces weapons in the hands of unauthorized individuals is not just a criminal act—it is a national security crisis.

“We cannot afford to treat this lightly. WAANSA urges Parliament to prioritize comprehensive legislative reforms and ensure robust enforcement mechanisms to protect lives and maintain peace," said Mr. Kinney.

“WAANSA strongly condemns this act of violence and calls on state authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the source of the Ghana Armed Forces weapon found in civilian hands,” he stated.

He also called on security agencies to strengthen stockpile management and accountability systems to prevent diversion of military-grade weapons.

The WAANSA Ghana President also called on civil society and communities to collaborate with law enforcement in reporting suspicious activities to curb armed violence.

In addition, WAANSA calls for urgent legislative reforms to review and tighten the arms laws to address loopholes that enable illicit possession and trafficking of weapons.

He noted that there should be stricter penalties for diversion of state-owned weapons and illegal arms possession. Establish a digital arms database and improve licensing systems to enhance transparency and accountability.

Mr. Kinney reiterated that the presence of official military weapons in the hands of unauthorized individuals poses a grave threat to national security and public safety.

“WAANSA reiterates its commitment to supporting Ghana and ECOWAS member states in implementing the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and advancing measures to prevent armed violence,” he stated.