Security analyst and Director of the faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center (KAIPTC), Dr. Kwesi Aning believes the current unemployment rate in the country could have serious consequences for the country’s security.

According to him, crime has become a good paying business, noting that there is the need to move away from the mindset that crime and those who perpetrate it, do so without a business plan.

Speaking to Joy News Wednesday, Dr. Aning noted that the legal framework underpinning manufacture, repair, sale and possession of arms is not in tune with modern trends.

Additionally, he noted that levels of prosecution on arm possession and trading are not well documented.

Dr. Aning also questioned the number of companies issued with licenses to import guns. He suspects some of these guns eventually get into illegal hands.

He therefore proposed that attitudes towards small arms and light weapons should be looked at again and a more nuance approach brought to bear on it as a measure to curbing crime in the country.

He said the brazen manner at which guns are sold on open markets indicates that there is a network of those, who sell, buy and transfer arms in the country.

This, he noted, is an area that the police need to use its intelligence in dealing with the situation.

Dr. Aning insisted that there is a huge demand for guns in the system which has a wider sub-regional ramification.

Dr. Aning was commenting on arrests made by the police of dozens of suspected criminals, including a young man, who was luring and recruiting some unemployed youth into armed robbery.

The Greater Accra Regional Police, Commander DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno  at a press conference announced that Namo Mayie was arrested at the Arts Center, where the police also retrieved two locally manufactured pistols concealed in his bag.

Another suspect, 28 year old Kwaku Denkyi, was also arrested openly selling a pump action gun.

DCOP Tetteh Yohuno therefore warned the public to be vigilant and report suspicious characters to the police.