Illicit small arms pose a greater and more enduring threat to society than illicit drugs, Dr Adam Bonaa, Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), has cautioned. 

Dr Bonaa explained that while drugs might harm an individual, illegal weapons have the capacity to destroy generations. 

He said this when speaking at a Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA)-powered media forum on “Securing Ghana’s Ports Against Illicit Small Arms: Strengthening Multi-Agency Collaboration for National Safety.” 

He stressed that, “If I ingest a drug, it affects only me. But a weapon can be used for over 100 years and destroy entire communities,” describing illicit arms as a direct threat to national and regional stability. 

Dr Bonaa explained that NACSA’s mandate included marking, tracing, and tracking weapons; supporting allied security agencies; public education; and ensuring Ghana’s compliance with international arms control treaties. 

He noted that Ghana’s decision to declare a national firearms amnesty had already yielded positive results, with thousands of illicit weapons voluntarily surrendered nationwide. 

“Even if only one weapon is retrieved, that is one life potentially saved,” he said, adding that Ghana’s proactive approach had helped the country avoid the security-related travel restrictions affecting some countries in the sub-region. 

Dr Bonaa disclosed that NACSA, with support from the German government, had installed one of the region’s few dedicated weapon detection systems at the Tema Port, capable of detecting concealed firearms in vehicles and cargo. 

He stressed that intelligence-led operations, discreet reporting, and sustained collaboration among security agencies were critical to preventing Ghana’s ports from becoming conduits for arms trafficking into the Sahel and West Africa.