For Immediate Release
Accra, 24th November 2025

Declaration of Amnesty for Illicit Arms Critical and Timely- FOSDA.

The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) commends the Ministry of
the Interior and the National Commission on Small Arms on the declaration of Amnesty for
the possession of illicit guns. This declaration is timely and critical as gun violence is
dangerously on the rise in Ghana. For FOSDA, this six-week window for the voluntary
surrender of unregistered and illicit firearms (December 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026) is an
important step towards tackling the pervasive issue of gun violence and reducing the
proliferation of illegal weapons across the nation.

The urgency for this action is clearly supported by FOSDA’s monitoring of violent incidents.
Gun violence is a persistent driver of insecurity, accounting for 36.8% (32 incidents) of all
violent incidents recorded in July 2025 and nearly half (47.1% / 33 incidents) of all incidents
in August 2025. Furthermore, FOSDA reports have shown a significant spike, with gun
violence increasing by 80% in the second quarter of 2024.

This national effort is also consistent with the continental movement, directly contributing to
the African Union’s (AU) “Silencing the Guns” initiative and the annual Africa Amnesty
Month, which encourages civilians to voluntarily surrender illegally owned small arms and
light weapons (SALW) to authorities without fear of arrest or prosecution.
While we commend the Ministry for the declaration of this amnesty, We also caution that
strategic steps must be taken to minimise the underlying socio-economic, security, and
governance drivers of illicit arms possession and circulation in the country in the short and
medium terms to consolidate the gains that will be made under this programme.
FOSDA recommend and urges the Ministry of the Interior and its relevant implementing
agencies to immediately put in place robust and verifiable measures to ensure the initiative
achieves its maximum potential and provides long-term stability:

i. Intense and Targeted Public Awareness Campaign: Beyond traditional media.
ii. Absolute Anonymity and Trust: Effective collection relies heavily on public trust. The
Ministry must guarantee that collection points offer absolute anonymity and
confidentiality to those surrendering weapons, thereby eliminating the fear of being
traced or identified.
iii. Safe and Accessible Collection Logistics: Collection centers must be strategically
placed in accessible, neutral, and secure locations, with adequate safety protocols to
manage the weapons once surrendered.
iv. Immediate Post-Amnesty Enforcement Strategy: The success of the voluntary phase
must be immediately followed by swift, transparent, and uncompromising enforcement
of the law, as cautioned by the Minister, to deter future illegal possession and reinforce
the state’s commitment to security.
v. Weapon Destruction and Accountability: A clear process for the transparent and
verifiable destruction of collected weapons must be established to assure the public that
the arms are permanently removed from circulation.
FOSDA call for strong public support and diligent implementation of these complementary
measures, the Gun Amnesty Initiative will significantly contribute to a safer, more peaceful
environment for all Ghanaians. We stand ready to collaborate with the Ministry of the Interior
and all stakeholders to ensure its success.

Theodora W. Anti
Executive Director
Contact No. 0243203060
Email: Theodora@fosda.org