Security analyst Andrews Asiedu has criticised the government’s decision to increase fees and charges for renewing gun licences, asserting that it will hinder efforts to combat illicit gun ownership.
According to Mr Asiedu Tetteh, this move may undermine the recently concluded gun amnesty initiative, which allowed individuals with unlicensed firearms to surrender them without facing prosecution.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, the analyst noted that the substantial increase in gun licensing fees and charges will discourage people from renewing their licences.
The Ministry of the Interior is transitioning to a digital system, enabling online renewals and mobile payments.
Despite public backlash over the charges being deemed excessive, the Interior Ministry has defended the fees.
However, Andrews Asiedu Tetteh argues that this will lead to more problems, prompting individuals to keep their guns without licences.
He emphasised that the amnesty initiative presented an opportunity for individuals to license their firearms without incurring costs, which may now be lost due to the new fees.
“The recent actions by the Ministry of the Interior and the government are deeply disappointing. The primary purpose of gun ownership licensing and renewal is to ensure we can track the number of firearms in circulation, identify their owners, and trace their origins. This allows the police to effectively manage unforeseen circumstances. This process should be about public safety, not revenue generation.
The amnesty previously granted by the minister was intended to help us identify the weapons already in our system. To encourage people to come forward and register, that process was supposed to remain accessible. Instead, we have seen a sudden, drastic price hike from GH₵150 to GH₵1,500.
The government has lost sight of the goal. If the objective is to restrict who can own a gun, you must strengthen the acquisition process rather than inflating the licensing fees. High costs only discourage people from renewing their licenses or registering their firearms. Ultimately, this action ensures that the total number of weapons in the system will remain unknown. The ministry and the government have missed the mark.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana