The Ministry of the Interior has launched a six-week Gun Amnesty Initiative, directing all individuals in possession of unregistered or illicit firearms to voluntarily surrender them between December 1, 2025, and January 15, 2026, or face severe sanctions.
Speaking at the official launch in Accra on Tuesday, November 17, 2025, Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak announced that anyone found with illegal weapons after the deadline will be dealt with ruthlessly under the law.
“This amnesty provides a safe and final opportunity for citizens to hand over prohibited or unregistered firearms without fear of prosecution,” the Minister said.
The Minister described the exercise as a critical step in the government’s fight against the proliferation of small arms and rising gun violence.
He emphasised that the initiative is aimed at removing dangerous weapons from communities and creating a safer environment for all Ghanaians.
As part of the measures, the Ministry has also imposed a temporary ban on the use of firearms during traditional festivities and celebrations throughout the amnesty period to prevent celebratory gunfire, accidental injuries, and fatalities.
Under the moratorium, weapons can be surrendered anonymously at designated police stations, regional police commands, or other collection points that will be announced in the coming days.
The Interior Minister urged community leaders, traditional authorities, and the general public to support the exercise, warning that security agencies will intensify operations nationwide immediately after January 15, 2026, to seize illegal arms and prosecute offenders.
Similar amnesty programmes in the past have resulted in the recovery of hundreds of weapons, but officials say the growing threat of armed violence has made the current initiative more urgent than ever.