The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has welcomed the decision by the Minister for the Interior to extend the Gun Amnesty Programme (GAP) for an additional two weeks, running from January 16 to 30, 2026.

The extension comes after a positive public response to the initial amnesty period, which began on December 1, 2025, and was originally scheduled to end on January 15, 2026.

The move provides individuals, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, an additional opportunity to voluntarily surrender or register unlicensed or illicit firearms without fear of interrogation, arrest, or prosecution.

NACSA emphasised that after January 30, 2026, security agencies will intensify enforcement operations, and anyone found in possession of unregistered or illegal firearms will face arrest and prosecution in line with the law.

The commission has called on chiefs, traditional authorities, religious leaders, opinion leaders, community groups, and the media to continue promoting the programme and encouraging full participation within their communities.

According to NACSA, the Gun Amnesty Programme is a key strategy for reducing the proliferation of illicit firearms and tackling the high incidence of gun-related violence and deaths in Ghana.

The commission concluded its January 17, 2026, statement with a call to action: “The time is now, let us silence the guns for our own safety. Guns down, Ghana up!”