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Opinions of Friday, 2 February 2018

Columnist: Stephen Quaye

Arms and ammunition retrieval exercise will make Ghana safer

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Every year hundreds of Ghanaians fall victim to armed robbery attacks of which most of the victims do not think it could happen to them.

Most of the reported incidents so far have all resulted in the brutal murder of the victims of these goons, gangs and hoodlums which is a sad story.

This is because armed robbers with sophisticated arms and ammunitions are using increasingly sophisticated methods to target their Ghanaian victims of all ages and from all walks of life.

Gun and ammunition retrieval exercise should either be a quarterly or annual event that would give private and public organizations involved in the fight against fraud, corruption, armed robbery an opportunity to further raise public awareness.

It is by this awareness; Ghanaians can avoid becoming victims to organized crimes such as stealing with a gun or armed robbery with sophisticated arms and ammunition and methods.

The government claims it is committed to fighting crime but day in and day out, more people continue to fall victim to all kinds of fraud and armed robbery which means that government commitment is not including initiatives that would help inform Ghanaians about how to prevent or protect themselves from related crimes.

Ghanaians need to be vigilant about armed robbery, fraud and corrupt practices not only during Christmas festivities, yuletide, Easter occasions; traditional festival occasions or national holidays but all year long and through public awareness, the people can be informed about how to better protect themselves.

Media reports from the mother land via the internet indicates that all Ghanaians are concerned about the high incidence of armed robbery, fraud and corrupt practices going on because of the possibility that it can destabilize the country’s national economy as strengthening organized armed robbery groups, gangs, goons and hoodlums continue to emerge at every corner in the country.

The great number of armed robbery, fraud and corruption is either committed by the young ones in the society of which and more of these schemes are being attributed to organize crime.


“The impact on individuals, families and business is devastating as retirement savings, homes, business and in most cases, lives have been lost” a critical observation of the situation far from home.

But what can bring the smiles on the face of the people is that most of the armed robbery can be prevented by embarking on arms and ammunition retrieval exercise throughout the country, identifying the methods used by armed robbers, fraudsters and these methods can only be made known through an awareness exercise because, “the more arms and ammunitions are collected from the people, the more people know about armed robbery, the methods, the less you are to fall for it”.

Let the government be reminded that organized crime presents a serious threat to Ghanaian communities which is linked to a wide range of criminal activities including armed robbery noting that, “armed robbery is the first step to better protecting yourself since one victim is too many victims to follow suit”.

How many people know how to avoid or shield themselves from being attacked and robbed off their money, precious minerals and other wealth and not be killed by these wicked people?

It is by arms and ammunition exercise that all guns and sophisticated weapons would be retrieved from these armed robbers, thieves, fraudsters, gangs, goons and hoodlums to make individuals and the country safe from armed robbery attacks and loss of life.

Let the law makers start to discuss this whiles we petition the president to institute a national arms and ammunition exercise of armed robbery prevention to check organized crime and corruption.