1 June 2006
editorial
On Wednesday we reported in our lead story the initiatives of anti-gun campaigners in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region to stem the tide of arms proliferation.
In July, member states of the United Nations would review the impact of the UN Programme of Action on Illicit Trade in Small Arms. In Ghana, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Government of Ghana has established the National Commission on Small Arms and together with civil society groups like Ghana Action Network on Small Arms (GHANSA) and the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) have been at the forefront of creating awareness regarding the dangers of the proliferation of small arms.
One of the first actions of the NPP government, when it came to power in 2001 was to call on Ghanaians to surrender all unauthorized guns. Many law abiding citizens did, but there was no follow up after that initial initiative.
Today we are all witness to the terror of armed robbers in our homes and on our highways. Their weapons of choice range from the AK 47 rifle, to the ordinary shotgun, to pump action guns, to sophisticated pistols imported from abroad to crude home made weapons.
How these weapons get into the hands of these criminals is the billion cedi question. In Ghana, we are in a way lucky - complaining only about the occasional armed robbery, but elsewhere in our sub-region and on our continent, small arms have led to failed states and much misery.
With the series of activities to mark the global action against small arms taking place this week, we at ADM wish to call on our government to restart the "disarmament" programme it initiated on the assumption of office. And to those at the forefront of the campaign against proliferation, keep up the good work and please accept our solidarity.
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