Dealers in illegal arms must be smoked out
Last Saturday, the National Small Arms Commission destroyed almost 1,300 illegal weapons that had been seized from various parts of the country.
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While that huge number of weapons seized continues to rattle right-thinking minds regarding the possession of such quantity of unlicensed arms in Ghana, there is more disturbing news.
In the estimation of the commission, a little in excess of one million of such arms and light weapons may still be in wrong hands across the country.
Interestingly, the markings identified on the guns prior to their destruction means that while some of them were manufactured here in Ghana, others found their way into the country.
The means by which they got into Ghana remains troubling.
The frightening security threat that the country faces in the light of these revelations is that the weapons are in the wrong hands.
Ordinarily, any gun that comes into the country must be registered in the name of the user, together with the provision of some identifiable data to enable the security agencies to close in on anyone who decides to use the weapon for negative ends.
Ostensibly, the West African sub-region has seen its fair share of wars and violence, for which reason the infiltration of such weapons into our country remains a matter of relative ease, in view of our hospitable nature, without a more careful appraisal of what our visitors are carrying.
Without laying the total blame on our border officials, who normally screen such persons before they are allowed into the country, a good number of weapons have entered our country, with or without the connivance of some other Ghanaians.
Some weapons get into the country through concealed means, while others come in through acts of connivance and a disposition to cause violence and mayhem.
Genuine concerns have been expressed over the situation, especially in an election year when a number of factors come into play with regard to national security.
It is, therefore, our opinion that much more effort must be applied in the bid to rid our country of weapons that are owned illegally.
This is also against the background that some violent crimes, especially armed robbery, that have taken place over the period involved the use of some sophisticated weaponry.
Beyond a call on our security agencies to be more proactive in smoking out the wrong owners of weapons of death and the retrieval of such arms, the Daily Graphic calls on all Ghanaians to be active and responsive to all acts on the part of miscreants who import or manufacture weapons.
The overall effect is that no one can tell when such weapons will be used and against whom it would be used.
West Africa has been a den for traders in illegal arms or gun running for obvious reasons, especially because of civil wars in a number of countries.
Unfortunately, some of the combatants have fled to our country or are loitering around our borders to cause mayhem.
The Daily Graphic can vouch for the professionalism of our security agencies but we urge them to take the fight to these gun runners in order to assure us of total security, especially in this crucial election year.