Ghana’s small arms regulator has issued fewer than 10 sidearm licences to private citizens since January 2025, as authorities tighten civilian access to firearms amid concerns over the spread of illegal weapons.
Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Dr. Adam Bonaa, disclosed the figure during a TV3 discussion on firearm regulation following the shooting of former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo.
Bonaa framed the restrictive licensing stance as one element of a longer-term strategy rather than a reaction to any single incident. “This is an issue that has existed for years. You don’t come in and attempt a quick fix,” he said, describing unauthorised weapons circulation as a problem requiring sustained institutional attention.
He stopped short of detailing the scale of illegal firearms currently in circulation but characterised the situation as serious enough to warrant continued action beyond licensing controls alone.
The shooting of Adwoa Safo has renewed public debate over firearm regulation in Ghana and the ease with which weapons reach civilians outside official channels.
