His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council appealed to citizens not to acquire arms through illegal means.

The King made the call during a courtesy call on him by a delegation from the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The delegation was led by the Board Chairman of the Commission, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Samuel Yeboah, and the Resident Representative of UNDP in Ghana, Angela Lusigi.

“It is worrying that about 75% of the National Security budget is spent on conflicts enforced by small arms and light weapons. Government must resource the Commission to seize the bite”, noted the Ga Mantse.

The King called for a strategic shift towards addressing the root causes of conflicts and appealed to Government to resource the Commission to effectively execute its mandate.

In addition, the Ga Mantse commended the joint efforts by the Commission and UNDP in raising awareness on the alarming issue of illicit arms proliferation. The sensitization, he noted, is empowering communities with knowledge to prevent the illegal spread of arms and gun violence.

Mr. Yeboah, Executive Secretary of the Commission expressed gratitude to the King for his continued contributions to fostering unity, peace, and security in the Greater Accra region. He underlined the urgent need for collaborative actions to address the worrisome surge in gun-related incidents within the Greater Accra Region.

Addressing the dire implications of unchecked gun violence, Rev. Frimpong-Manso emphasized the crucial role of traditional authorities in maintaining peace and security within communities. He called on all stakeholders, especially traditional authorities to support the Commission’s mission in addressing gun violence-related issues and encouraged responsible use of firearms during festivals and celebrations.

“Gun violence incidents are increasing, and we recognize the critical role our traditional authorities play in ensuring peace and security. Peaceful and non-violent means of conflict prevention are important”, noted Rev. Frimpong Manso.

Angela Lusigi reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful and prosperous Ghana. She emphasized the Commission’s joint effort with UNDP and key stakeholders to develop a national programme that aims to control the possession, trafficking, and proliferation of illicit arms.

“We cannot pursue development without peace and development is a pathway to peace. To maintain peace, it is important that everyone says no to the illegal acquisition of small arms and light weapons”, noted Dr Lusigi.

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 calls for the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, and sensitization on the dangers of small arms and light weapons remains critical.