The Ministry of the Interior has announced a final extension of Ghana’s Gun Amnesty Programme, moving the deadline to January 30, 2026, in a renewed push to reduce the circulation of illegal and unregistered firearms.
The programme, which began on December 1, 2025, was originally scheduled to end on January 15, 2026. However, the Ministry says strong public response and appeals from community leaders necessitated additional time.
According to the Ministry, engagements with traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and residents across the country revealed that many individuals were willing to surrender or regularise firearms but required more time, particularly in remote areas.
“The extension is meant to give well-meaning citizens, especially those in hard-to-reach communities, the opportunity to comply voluntarily without fear,” the Ministry explained.
With the new arrangement, the amnesty will run from January 16 to January 30, 2026. Individuals who had earlier declared their intention to register firearms during the initial phase will also be permitted to complete the process within this extended period.
The Ministry noted that the additional two weeks will help intensify public education and deepen community-level engagement, stressing that participants will not be subjected to interrogation, arrest or prosecution during the amnesty window.
However, authorities have made it clear that this extension is the last. After January 30, security agencies will roll out intensified intelligence-led operations, including targeted searches and swoops, to recover illicit weapons.
“Any person found in possession of an illegal or unregistered firearm after the amnesty expires will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the Ministry warned.
The Interior Ministry reiterated that the Gun Amnesty Programme is “not a witch-hunt” but a national security intervention aimed at saving lives and preserving Ghana’s reputation as a peaceful country.
Calling for continued public support, the Ministry urged chiefs, elders, faith leaders, opinion leaders, youth groups and the media to sustain advocacy efforts within their communities.
“Every firearm surrendered is one less threat to lives and livelihoods,” the Ministry stated, adding, “Let us silence the guns for our own safety.”
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