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The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (GNCSALW), in partnership with the National Peace Council, has held a three-day sensitisation programme in communities along the borders of the Upper East Region.
The targeted communities are Nakolo, Kayoro, Chiana, and Paga, all located in the Kassena-Nankana West District.
Speaking at the forum held on Saturday, the Upper East Regional Programmes Officer for GNACSA, Victor Abo-Ame Akanbonga, explained that the initiative was part of the commission’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable peace in Ghana, especially in anticipation of the 2024 elections.
Mr Akanbonga said intelligence gathered indicated that “communal violence and religious conflicts” in some border areas could pose a risk of spillover effects from violent extremism and related jihadist activities from neighboring countries, particularly Burkina Faso and Togo.
He noted that the illegal proliferation of small arms and weapons tended to escalate during election periods, necessitating heightened vigilance from security agencies, the Peace Council, and other stakeholders to maintain peace in the country.
Key stakeholders in the communities, including chiefs, assembly members, youth activists, and other opinion leaders, had been selected to participate in the training.
The aim is to build their capacity to identify suspicious characters and report them to the security forces for appropriate action.
“The training is designed to educate border residents about the dangers of illegal small arms and light weapons. This is particularly important due to the ongoing crises in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger,” Mr Akanbonga stated in a sideline interview with the Ghanaian Times at Nakolo.
He continued: “We are essentially informing border residents that if they encounter any suspicious individuals or observe illegal weapons being transported into the country, they should promptly notify us.”
The Regional Programmes Officer said the commission was the primary agency responsible for combating the illicit proliferation of arms in Ghana. He urged residents to cooperate with the commission to help reduce crime.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to raising public awareness about the dangers of illegal arms possession and the legal consequences involved.
He said offenders caught with illegal weapons could face penalties, including fines of up to GH¢12,000, prison terms of up to 10 years, or even life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.
Mr Akanbonga appealed to stakeholders, including non-profit organisations, individuals, and the government, for continued support in terms of logistics to enable the commission to perform its duties effectively and efficiently.
An Assistant Analyst at the Narcotics Control Commission, Mr Seth Okang, described the engagement with residents along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border as fruitful.
He said participants were made aware of the risk that Islamist groups might exploit youth who use drugs to infiltrate the country, stressing the urgent need to avoid drug use.
The Assembly Member for the Paga-Nakolo Electoral Area praised the sensitisation forum, noting its potential impact on the youth, who were particularly vulnerable to extremist influence.
He pledged the youth’s unwavering commitment to preventing, preempting, protecting against, and responding to violent extremist attacks.
THE Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (GNCSALW), in partnership with the National Peace Council, has held a three-day sensitisation programme in communities along the borders of the Upper East Region.
The targeted communities are Nakolo, Kayoro, Chiana, and Paga, all located in the Kassena-Nankana West District.
Speaking at the forum held on Saturday, the Upper East Regional Programmes Officer for GNACSA, Victor Abo-Ame Akanbonga, explained that the initiative was part of the commission’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable peace in Ghana, especially in anticipation of the 2024 elections.
Mr Akanbonga said intelligence gathered indicated that “communal violence and religious conflicts” in some border areas could pose a risk of spillover effects from violent extremism and related jihadist activities from neighboring countries, particularly Burkina Faso and Togo.
He noted that the illegal proliferation of small arms and weapons tended to escalate during election periods, necessitating heightened vigilance from security agencies, the Peace Council, and other stakeholders to maintain peace in the country.
Key stakeholders in the communities, including chiefs, assembly members, youth activists, and other opinion leaders, had been selected to participate in the training.
The aim is to build their capacity to identify suspicious characters and report them to the security forces for appropriate action.
“The training is designed to educate border residents about the dangers of illegal small arms and light weapons. This is particularly important due to the ongoing crises in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger,” Mr Akanbonga stated in a sideline interview with the Ghanaian Times at Nakolo.
He continued: “We are essentially informing border residents that if they encounter any suspicious individuals or observe illegal weapons being transported into the country, they should promptly notify us.”
The Regional Programmes Officer said the commission was the primary agency responsible for combating the illicit proliferation of arms in Ghana. He urged residents to cooperate with the commission to help reduce crime.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to raising public awareness about the dangers of illegal arms possession and the legal consequences involved.
He said offenders caught with illegal weapons could face penalties, including fines of up to GH¢12,000, prison terms of up to 10 years, or even life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.
Mr Akanbonga appealed to stakeholders, including non-profit organisations, individuals, and the government, for continued support in terms of logistics to enable the commission to perform its duties effectively and efficiently.
An Assistant Analyst at the Narcotics Control Commission, Mr Seth Okang, described the engagement with residents along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border as fruitful.
He said participants were made aware of the risk that Islamist groups might exploit youth who use drugs to infiltrate the country, stressing the urgent need to avoid drug use.
The Assembly Member for the Paga-Nakolo Electoral Area praised the sensitisation forum, noting its potential impact on the youth, who were particularly vulnerable to extremist influence.
He pledged the youth’s unwavering commitment to preventing, preempting, protecting against, and responding to violent extremist attacks.
FROM FRANCIS DABRE DABANG, NAKOLO
