Following the Ministry for the Interior’s recent decision to revoke all civilian firearm permits, security analyst Andrews Asiedu Tetteh has urged the government to extend mandatory mental health examinations and drug testing to all state police and security officers.
The Ministry’s directive requires all existing licensed gun owners to undergo a fresh registration process, which includes mandatory mental health assessments, drug screenings, and firearms competency training.
Sector Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak announced these measures during a press conference in Accra, citing a worrying rise in suicides involving legally registered firearms, as well as incidents where licensed weapons were utilized in criminal activities.
While acknowledging the initiative’s goal to strengthen public safety, Mr. Tetteh expressed concerns regarding how the new system would be implemented, advising the Ministry to review and expand its scope to make it truly comprehensive.
He argued that security officers, not just civilians, must be subjected to these strict regulations.
“The new system should start from our police and soldiers. We have to test them against the use of cocaine and ‘wee’. We need to test them every six months and ensure those who wear the uniform as security officers are sane and do not abuse the use of drugs. It should not be limited to civilians,” he stated.
Beyond expanding the testing pool, Mr. Tetteh proposed that the new registration framework must mandate practical shooting range training to ensure all applicants can handle firearms appropriately.
He emphasised that the current regime requires a total overhaul to guarantee that the safety and security of the public remain paramount.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
