The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has called for the urgent passage of a new Firearms Regulation Bill to address the growing misuse of weapons across the country.

The commission maintains that the absence of a clear regulator and weak legal framework has led to the unchecked use of dangerous firearms, especially during festivals.

This comes after a student of Bimbilla Senior High School died after being struck by a stray bullet during the Fire Festival in Bimbilla in the Northern Region.

Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, July 6, 2025, the Ag. Executive Secretary of the Commission, Adam Bonaa, said that the commission is still working with security agencies to intensify public education and enforcement, while pushing for swift action from Cabinet and Parliament.

“The laws we have currently for gun regulation are over 50 years old. From the point of view of the commission, we have a bill that is at the ministerial level, waiting to be sent to the cabinet and eventually into law. This is because at the moment, there is no regulator when it comes to firearms.

“So, anybody at all is getting access to guns. Children in second-cycle schools are stealing their parents’ sidearms to school, but unfortunately, we are not able to deal with these issues. I am sure that this will be dealt with, hopefully, in the next few months.

“Once this bill is passed, a lot of changes are going to take place within the arms space in this country. But until that is done, we can only continue to work with the police and the other security agencies to educate the public,” he said.

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