The Interior Ministry has begun moves to disarm private security guards who use firearms acquired through personal permits, describing the practice as an abuse of Ghana’s gun licensing regime.

Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak disclosed on JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday that private security companies have exploited a loophole in outdated laws to arm their personnel, despite having no legal mandate to carry firearms.

“Another thing that we also notice is that the private security companies come and we license them here,” the Asawase MP said.

He explained that the governing laws are old and do not permit private security companies to possess firearms.

“The laws, interestingly, are very old laws, because the Police Act of 1970, and then the regulations, the 1992 regulations, the 1571 states it. So there had never been any time that private security companies were allowed to hold firearms,” he said.

According to the minister, operators of private security firms first obtain licences for their companies after undergoing background checks and office inspections.

They then individually apply for firearm permits in their own names, citing personal reasons such as self-protection, the nature of their work or protection of farms.

“You and I come together to set up the company, so we come, we are given the licence, they do all the backgrounds, they check our office, they do all that, and they give us the licence,” he said.

“Then we come as individuals, so I’ll come as Muntaka and get a pump action for my self-protection. You come as Evans and get a sidearm for your self-protection.”

He said employees of the companies are also encouraged to obtain firearms in their personal capacities.

“We get other credible employees to go and get either pump action or single-barreled guns or side arms individually for their protection,” he explained.

Once these individuals begin working for the security company, the weapons are used in the course of their duties, creating the impression that the company itself is authorised to bear arms.

“When we give all those, and then when we give them, because they are working in the company now, they are using it in the company as though that private security company has the mandate to use a firearm,” he said.

Responding to host Evans Mensah’s observation that firms had found “a loophole in the legal regime and are exploiting it,” the minister agreed.

“Yes,” he said.

He noted that when security personnel carrying such weapons are stopped by law enforcement officers, they are often able to produce valid permits because the licences are registered in their personal names.

However, Muntaka stressed that private security companies have no authority to deploy firearms.

“No private security company is authorised to use a sidearm or use a firearm,” he said.

“We can grant you tasers, maybe pepper spray and other equipment, but not a firearm. It’s only the police that are mandated to carry firearms.”

He said the ministry is now identifying all such permit holders and taking steps to correct the situation.

“So now we are doing all this pause to be able to now identify all such individuals and correct it,” he said.