The 2024 Auditor-General’s Report has uncovered that 606 firearms are unlawfully in the possession of civilians across the country due to expired licenses that were never renewed.
The revelation came to light at a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, when the Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, appeared before the Committee alongside the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and other security heads.
Committee members expressed concern over the report’s findings, which stated:
“Contrary to the law, we reviewed the firearms license records and noted that 606 firearms were illegally possessed by civilians since their licenses had expired and had not been renewed. Their possession and use are therefore unlawful.”
In response, IGP Yohuno assured the Committee that the Ghana Police Service has begun measures to address the lapse.
He disclosed that a comprehensive database of all licensed gun holders has been compiled as recommended by the Audit Service.
“We are now sensitizing all firearms holders to renew their licenses promptly when they expire. The Police will also directly contact individuals when their renewal is due. This exercise is ongoing,” the IGP said.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak, however, stressed that the problem stems largely from Ghana’s outdated manual licensing system.
He announced that his ministry is working on a full-scale digitization of the firearms licensing process to close loopholes and enforce timely renewals.
“One of the challenges we face is that everything is still manual. These 606 cases are scattered nationwide. We are almost at the tail end of digitizing the system, and we are hopeful it will go live by November or December this year,” the Minister told PAC.
The Auditor-General’s report has once again highlighted the security risks posed by lax firearm license renewals and the urgent need for a modernized system to prevent illegal possession.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com