The extension is aimed at deepening public sensitisation
The Ministry of the Interior has extended the Gun Amnesty Programme (GAP) declared on November 18, 2025 to January 30, 2026, as part of Government’s ongoing efforts to reduce the proliferation of illicit or unregistered firearms in the country.
The initial Gun Amnesty Programme, which took effect from December 1, 2025, and was scheduled to end on January 15, 2026, has generated significant public interest and cooperation nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Interior in a press statement, “Ongoing engagements with traditional authorities, religious leaders, civil society organisations and the general public, as well as sensitisation efforts, indicate that more time will allow additional individuals, particularly in hard-to-reach communities, to do the right thing without fear or hesitation.
“For this reason, and in response to the genuine calls from critical stakeholders for an extension, Government has decided to extend the Gun Amnesty period by an additional two weeks. The Gun Amnesty extension will run from 16th to 30th January 2026.”
The extension is aimed at deepening public sensitisation, strengthening community engagement and providing additional time for well-meaning Ghanaians to voluntarily surrender or register their unlicensed or illicit firearms without fear of interrogation, arrest or prosecution.
“Registration will begin for individuals who previously declared their intentions to register their firearms during the initial GAP window within this extended period.
“The Ministry, however, wishes to emphasise that this extension constitutes a final opportunity for compliance. After the Gun Amnesty Programme on 30th January, 2026, law enforcement agencies will intensify intelligence-led operations, swoops, and targeted searches across the country to retrieve illicit firearms and prosecute offenders.
“Any individual found in possession of an unregistered or illicit firearm after the expiration of the GAP extension period will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. The consequences will be firm and uncompromising,” part of the statement said.
The statement added, “The Ministry of the Interior reiterates that the Gun Amnesty is not a witch-hunt, but a life-saving national exercise aimed at protecting lives, strengthening community safety, and preserving Ghana’s long-standing reputation as a peaceful and stable nation.
“The Ministry calls on chiefs, elders, religious leaders, opinion leaders, youth groups, community associations, and the media to continue supporting this national effort by encouraging full compliance within their communities.
“Every firearm surrendered is one less threat to lives and livelihoods. Let us, therefore, silence the guns for our own safety.”
“Guns down, Ghana up!”
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