The Ministry of the Interior has announced major reforms to Ghana’s firearm licensing regime, introducing mandatory mental health assessments, drug screening and firearms training as part of efforts to strengthen gun control and enhance public safety.
The reforms were announced by Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, where he outlined plans to close what he described as significant gaps in the current licensing system.
According to the Minister, the existing framework allowed some individuals to obtain firearm licences without undergoing adequate psychological evaluations or demonstrating competency in firearm handling.
Under the new regime, all applicants seeking to obtain or renew firearm licences will be required to successfully complete three key requirements: a mental health assessment, a drug screening test and structured firearms training.
“Immediately — we have a training range at Tesano. We have the Narcotics Control Commission that is ready to do the drug test. And then we have the Mental Health Authority that is ready to do the mental health,” Mr Mubarak stated.
The Minister explained that the reforms form part of a broader effort to ensure that only responsible and qualified individuals are permitted to possess firearms.
In addition to the new assessments, applicants will undergo enhanced background checks conducted by state security agencies before any licence is approved.
“What I’ll first do is to refer to the BNI to do a background check on you, the CID to do a background check on you. They check on their system that you have not committed any crime,” he said.
Mr Mubarak also cautioned firearm licence holders against using weapons registered for personal protection in private security operations, stressing that such conduct violates the conditions under which the licences are granted.
He warned that individuals found misusing firearms in that manner could face sanctions under the revised regulatory framework.
The Ministry further disclosed plans to digitise the firearm licensing process to improve record-keeping, monitoring and enforcement nationwide.
The reforms come in the wake of growing concerns about the misuse of legally registered firearms, particularly following a recent shooting incident involving former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament, Adwoa Safo, at a property linked to her brother, Israel Safo, in the Greater Accra Region.
The incident is connected to an ongoing succession dispute within the Kristo Asafo Mission following the death of its founder, Apostle Professor Kwadwo Safo, in September 2025.
The dispute has generated competing claims over the leadership of the church and its affiliated institutions, with legal proceedings currently underway.
According to an earlier statement from the Kwadwo Safo family, Adwoa Safo had gone to serve a court injunction intended to halt an installation ceremony involving Israel Safo when the alleged shooting occurred. The matter remains under police investigation.
While outlining the reforms, the Minister did not provide details on how applicants in remote and rural communities, including farmers who rely on licensed firearms for protection, would access the Tesano-based training facility and the newly introduced assessment processes.
The government says the new measures are aimed at strengthening oversight of firearm ownership, improving compliance with licensing requirements and reducing the risk of gun-related incidents involving legally registered weapons.
