The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has revealed alarming new figures showing a sharp rise in gun-related violence across Ghana, with the Ashanti, Upper East, and Eastern regions leading the surge.
According to NACSA’s 2nd Quarter Open-Source Gun Incidence Report (OGI) released on September 3, 2025, a total of 54 gun-related incidents were recorded between April and June, representing a significant increase from the first quarter.
The Ashanti Region topped the list with 21 cases, followed by the Eastern Region (8 cases) and Upper East (7 cases).
“Gun violence incidents were reported in 11 out of the country’s 16 regions. While this reflects a wide geographic spread, five regions — Bono, Bono East, Savannah, Ahafo and Upper West — recorded no incidents and must be commended for their progress,” the report stated.
The findings also highlight the types of gun-related crimes, with armed robbery (22 cases), murder (9 cases), violent clashes (8 cases) and unlawful possession of firearms (7 cases) accounting for over 85 per cent of reported incidents. Other recorded cases included indiscriminate shootings, celebratory shootings and land disputes.
NACSA further noted that men were disproportionately affected, both as perpetrators and victims. Out of the 43 deaths recorded, 39 were men.
At crime scenes, security agencies recovered 42 weapons, the majority being pump action guns (20), pistols (10) and AK-47 rifles (3).
NACSA described the situation as “alarming,” warning that the prevalence of such weapons calls for urgent legislative action.
The Commission urged lawmakers, civil society and the Attorney General’s Department to support the swift passage of the proposed National Arms Bill into law to strengthen the country’s gun control framework.
