Rev Prof Paul Frimpong-Manso
The Board Chairman of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has expressed concern about the number of law enforcement officers who have lost their lives this year through firearms in the hands of criminals.
A number of measures Rev Prof Paul Frimpong-Manso stated in a press release were being laid out to control the situation among which was the marking of weapons to facilitate the easy tracing of firearms used to commit crime.
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He recalled the grim statistics presented by the Inspector General of Police during the recent Police Memorial Day activities, when he said that “nine police personnel had died in line of duty this year, 2019, alone.”
“Then on the December 3, 2019, barely three days after the Police Memorial Day, it was reported that another police officer who was performing his lawful duty, providing escort in a bullion van, had been gunned down by armed criminals in Sefwi Asempaneye in the Sefwi Wiawso area of the Western North Region.”
While the commission extends its condolences to the families of the departed officers and other families who have lost their loved ones through gun violence this year, the commission acknowledges the fact that this is a phenomenon that requires urgent government attention.
Some of the measures being unfurled to curb illicit arms proliferation he said included public education and awareness on the dangers associated with the illicit gun trade, manufacture and abuse. “We shall also continue to collaborate with other security agencies to prevent these needless killings using small arms,” he said.
While the commission’s efforts at curbing proliferation of small arms in the country continued, challenges still persisted, he said. This, however, did not call for despair; we need to stand together to defeat the criminals, he demanded of Ghanaians.
The public, he entreated, should join the commission to fight against the illicit small arms trade, manufacture and trafficking by these criminals. This he said required citizens to be vigilant and report any suspected illegal activities to the law enforcement agencies.
There are gaps in the current laws for fighting the proliferation of small arms and this reality has informed the ongoing efforts to review the laws to respond to these emerging security threats of the 21st century.
He has pleaded with all stakeholders, particularly traditional authorities, leaders of faith-based organizations, the media, the National Peace Council and the general public to support their endeavours to strengthen the gun laws, to prevent gun-violence deaths and make society safe.
