Small Arms Commission boss worried more Ghanaians apply for firearms

Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons Jones Borteye Applerh has revealed that out of the 1,230,000 persons possessing registered firearms in Ghana, only 40,000 of them have renewed their licenses.

He attributed this to ignorance on the part of the holders.

To that end, he said his outfit will embark on aggressive education to that effect.

Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Johnnie Hughes in a yet-to-be televised interview, which will be aired on the New Day programme Thursday, October 15, Mr Applerh further revealed that the number of people applying to possess firearms has shot up.

He described this situation as worrying.

“This year we have seen an increasing number of people wanting to own guns in Greater Accra. We are worried but it is also a function what we see in our society.

“People don’t feel too safe.

“The license to possess a fire arm, if they give you the license you are supposed to process it, that expires after 6 months but the license to own a firearm when you have imported a firearm is one year.”

Asked whether people are renewing their licenses, he said: “It is not encouraging. We have about 1.23 million licenses for arms in Ghana.

“Out of which yearly we get between 30,000 to 40, 000 people renewing so a lot more people are holding their arms illicit.

“Probably they don’t know so it is about education and it is about devising schemes for the collection and renewal to be easy.”

His comments come after the Customers Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday, October 9 impounded a consignment said to contain pistols illegally imported from Turkey.

The ammunitions were concealed in the consignment of personal effects.

They belong to one Felix Wallace, who has been arrested by the marine police.