The government has revoked all existing personal firearm permits in Ghana and announced a tougher licensing regime that will require mental health assessments, drug screening and mandatory firearms training before new permits are issued.
The announcement was made by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at a press conference in Accra following the conclusion of the 2025/2026 Gun Amnesty Programme.
According to the Minister, the decision was prompted by a recent increase in firearm-related suicides involving legally licensed gun owners.
“In the last two months, we’ve seen an increase in individuals committing suicide with registered firearms,” he said.
He explained that the government could not afford to wait until the end of the year to address weaknesses in the licensing system.
Under the new arrangement, anyone seeking to own a firearm must undergo a mental health assessment, pass a drug test and successfully complete certified firearms training before a licence can be issued.
The Minister said authorities had identified gaps in the previous registration process, allowing some individuals who were mentally unstable or using illicit drugs to legally possess firearms.
He also noted that some licensed owners lacked the necessary skills to safely handle their weapons, resulting in accidental shootings and deaths.
To support the new system, the Ghana Police Service will expand firearms training across its 25 regional commands, while the Narcotics Control Commission will oversee mandatory drug testing.
Government also plans to certify private shooting ranges to assist prospective firearm owners in completing the required training.
The announcement came as the Interior Ministry officially closed the Gun Amnesty Programme, which recorded the surrender of 4,038 unregistered firearms nationwide.
Mr Mohammed-Mubarak described the outcome as evidence that many Ghanaians were willing to comply with the law when given the opportunity.
He said the programme was introduced to reduce the number of illegal firearms while allowing owners to voluntarily surrender or declare unregistered weapons without immediate prosecution.
Although the amnesty has ended, he clarified that individuals who declared firearms during the programme will still undergo background checks before any decision is made on whether they can legally retain them.
“The fact that you surrendered the firearm does not mean you will automatically be allowed to keep it,” he said.
With the amnesty window now closed, the Minister announced that security agencies will intensify intelligence-led operations to identify and seize illegal firearms across the country.
He also revealed that an informant reward scheme will be introduced to encourage the public to report illegal weapons, while border surveillance will be strengthened to curb arms trafficking.
As part of post-amnesty measures, the government will destroy more than 2,000 seized and surrendered firearms during the country’s eighth weapons destruction exercise scheduled for July 9 at the Police Depot in Accra.
The Interior Minister also warned private security companies against illegally using firearms.
He stressed that private security organisations are prohibited by law from possessing or operating firearms.
According to him, investigations have uncovered cases where security companies circumvented the law by encouraging individual employees to obtain personal firearm licences, only for those weapons to be used in company operations.
He said such practices amount to an abuse of the licensing system and warned that companies found engaging in them risk losing their operating licences.
The Minister further cautioned private security firms against using uniforms that closely resemble those of the police, immigration or other state security agencies.
He said the Ministry would strictly enforce regulations governing approved uniforms and would revoke the licences of companies that fail to comply.
“The era of voluntary compliance is over,” Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said. “We are now moving into full enforcement of the law.”
