Ghana is a hub for sophisticated weapons – Asante Twum

A senior programs officer at the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms, Johnson Asante Twum believes Ghana is now a transit point for the smuggling and sale of not only small weapons, but sophisticated weapons used in frontline combat.

He therefore called for more support from the public to clamp down on the manufacture and sale of small arms in the country.

Mr. Twum revealed this in an exclusive interview on ‘Late Edition’ on 3FM on Wednesday, February 17.

“Transit in the real sense: then you come to transit of illegal trade which is also what we found in Allah Bar with the gentleman Satta.

“Similar weapons have been uncovered in Bunkpurugu, Bimbilla and in other local conflicts. So the demand is there for such weapons in Ghana”.

On the involvement of local blacksmiths in the production of local arms, Mr Asante Twum revealed that plans are far advanced with efforts to regulate the work of blacksmiths in the country.

“There is no blacksmith in the country that you will find hitting the metal and would admit to you that he manufactures a gun.

“The police would have smoked all of them out if that was the case so what we have done is to identify all the blacksmiths in the ten regions of Ghana.

“At least you can find about two hundred of such Blacksmiths in each region, but they will tell you that they just manufacture hoes, cutlasses and knives.”