The Minister-Designate for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has expressed deep concern over the growing proliferation of small arms in Ghana, vowing to take decisive measures to safeguard national security.
Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 24, Muntaka underscored the importance of leveraging advanced technology to detect concealed firearms in vehicles and on individuals, stressing the urgent need to tackle this escalating threat.
“It’s a big threat, and if we don’t watch, it can really escalate,” he warned. “In the areas where there are conflicts, sometimes you wonder where they get the arms from.”
Muntaka pointed out that many of these weapons are smuggled into the country through borders and ports, underscoring the need for enhanced security measures.
“The interesting thing is that it’s been noticed most of these guns are coming through our borders and ports. The first thing that I would do when I join the team is to see what steps we can take to acquire more gadgets,” he said.
He explained the importance of equipping security agencies with tools capable of detecting firearms. “So when you stop a vehicle and go close to it, one thing you can tell is that there’s a gun in it. And it would show you specifically where it is. Sometimes they use motorbikes, and they hide them, and when you stop them, you realize that he’s [the person] sitting on it.”
Muntaka also stressed the need to review the regulation of pump-action guns, which he described as equally dangerous.
“We may review pump-action guns; they are equally dangerous arms. When I join the team by the grace of God, together with the experts there, we will ensure that we at least minimize the use of small arms,” he assured.
The nominee reaffirmed his commitment to collaborating with security experts and agencies to implement robust strategies that curb the influx and misuse of small arms across the country.
