Small Arms Proliferation has devastating results- Hackman

Accra, Feb 19, GNA- The control of the proliferation of small arms must be seen as a collective responsibility of all Ghanaians, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of the Interior said in Accra on Thursday.

"The great loss of precious lives, the maiming of people including infants, the displacement of people, the close link of organised crime, the fuelling of ethnic conflicts, the total destruction of the physical infrastructure and national economies, are but a few of the horrible effects of the proliferation of small arms", he said.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang said this when he received a number of security equipment on behalf of the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms from the United Nations Programme for Co-ordination and Assistance on Security and Development (PCASED).

The equipment, including two toyota land cruisers, two computers, 10 motorbikes, two solar energy installations, four big panel batteries and two magna scanners, all totalling 131,000 dollars, are to assist Ghana in controlling the proliferation of small arms in the country, and the sub-region as a whole.

The Interior Minister pledged government's determination to treat the issue of proliferation of small arms as " a topmost priority in our development agenda", and urged the security agencies to step up their vigilance to help nip the menace in the bud.

He thanked the donors for the gesture, and hoped they would continue to assist Ghana, especially in the areas of funding, research and logistics.

Mr Albert Salia Fawundu, UNDP Country Director handed over the items to the Interior Minister.

He hoped the items would go a long way to help solve the small arms proliferation problem in the country.

Present were Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kwadwo Afoakwa Sarpong, Ghana Ambassador to Mali and Mr Thomas Broni, Deputy Interior Minister.