A foreign policy and security expert, Mr Adiib Saani has attributed the massive proliferation of small arms in Ghana to the lack of arms regulators in the country.

According to him, the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons is not a regulator but an advisory body to the government on small arms in the country.

He said in the wake of violent extremism in the sub-region there is a need for arms regulators to help check the inflow of guns into the country.

He called for a full-fledged arms regulator to deal with the situation of violent extremism.  

Mr Saani made this call for the establishment of an arms regulator while analyzing the situation of Jihadist recruitments in the sub-region on the 505 evening news analysis programme hosted by Korku Lumor on Accra-based Class 93. 1 FM on Monday, July 18, 2022.

He said the law that governs arms in the country is the Arms and Ammunition Act of 1972.

According to him, the law has not been able to deal with the situation of the proliferation of arms in the country.

He said an arms regulator will push for a central register for arms and ammunition and further regulate the sector.

He revealed that guns are being printed with 3D technology and the obsolete law of 1972 cannot deal with these emerging technologies in the country.

He explained that there are about 1. 2 million guns registered in the country and only 400, 000 get their licenses renewed every year.

He added that the obsolete law mandates the Inspector-General of Police to monitor these arms but over the years the police administration has not been able to do so because of logistical constraints.

He was of the view that an arms regulator will be better positioned to monitor the transportation, manufacturing and registration of weapons in the country.

Source: Classfmonline.com