West Africa Action Network on Small Arms - Waansa - Ghana

15/03/2025

🤝Strengthening media advocacy for SmallArms control in Ghana 🇬🇭 🇬🇭

On Tuesday, WAANSA Ghana in partnership with the UNDP Ghana, the Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), the Small Arms Commission, Ghana , and the UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, hosted the second Media Engagement under the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) Fund Project in Kumasi.

This initiative seeks to equip media practitioners with the knowledge and tools to drive responsible reporting and strategic advocacy on arms governance.

During the meeting, WAANSA Ghana President, Mr. Ken Kinney called on the media to partner with WAANSA Ghana on the fight against the proliferation of illicit small arms, light weapons, ammunition, and explosives in Ghana.

The Salient Fund Project is a comprehensive initiative aimed at combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

The project is implemented under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator by UN agencies (UNDP and UNODC) working in collaboration with the Government of Ghana in partnership with WAANSA Ghana, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and the National Commission for Small Arms and Light Weapons.

13/03/2025

01/03/2025

💪Strengthening Arms Control in Ghana - Advocacy for the Passage of the National Arms Bill 2023⚖️

On Friday, 22nd February, the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms - Waansa - Ghana held a media engagement to interact with journalists on the passage of the National Arms Bill 2023.

Through this engagement, WAANSA Ghana called on the journalists to support the advocacy towards the passage of the bill.

The journalists were briefed on the gaps within the current Arms control act and its impact on small arms and light weapon control.

Key 🔑 highlights ✨️ of the engagement include

📌Need to establish a strong legal framework to curb the spread of small arms and light wepons in Ghana
📌Strengthen the capacity of the media to advocate and campaign for strong legal reforms in arms control

Ghana forms part the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) Fund, a United Nations funding facility.
The SALIENT fund project dedicated to supporting members states in tackling armed violence and illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons as part of a comprehensive approach to sustainable and development.

The project is implemented under the leadership of the UN resident Coordinator in Ghana with support from UNDP Ghana and UNODC, working in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, Small Arms Commission, Ghana, Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre and the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms.

18/10/2024

We would like to congratulate 🎊 👏 💐 🥳 one of our bona-fide members, Mr. Abraham Klutse for the successful launching of his book, Peace Building at the Edge of Death.
Some WAANSA-Ghana Members were there to support.

10/08/2024

Dear Journalists for Security, thank you for supporting our course.

Abokobi, Aug. 9, GNA – The West Africa Network of Journalists for Security and Development (WANJSD) has called on the government to expedite action towards the passage of…

10/08/2024

Thank you Ghana News Agency .

Time to pass the National Arms Commission Bill.

Abokobi, Aug. 9, GNA – A three-day capacity enhancement workshop for civil society organizations (CSOs) working towards the passage of the National Commission on Small Arms Bill has…

10/08/2024

We are featured in the Daily Graphic today.
Time to pass the National Arms Commission Bill is now.

09/08/2024

From Monday 5 to Wednesday 6 August, 25 CSOs in the peace and security sector led by WAANSA Ghana, convened in Accra for a 3-day workshop.

The workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of CSOs to advocacate ans lobby for the SALIENT Project in Ghana🇬🇭.

It discussed issues such as understanding the Project by UNODA, status of arms governance in Ghana, international arms control best practices, and CSOs advocacy and lobby within the SALIENT project.

This empowered all participating CSOs to lobby for the strengthening of legal reforms on small arms in Ghana.

We would like to express our appreciation to all participating CSOs and partners- Small Arms Commission, Ghana UNDP Ghana ,

15/04/2024

STATEMENT BY WAANSA ON THE LEGISLATIVE
AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS OF APRIL 29, 2024 IN TOGO

WAANSA calls for inclusive, peaceful, violence-free and weapon-free elections.

On April 09, 2024, the Council of Ministers led by His Excellency Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Republic of Togo, examined and adopted the decree reshuffling the electoral calendar.

Therefore, the new date for the legislative and regional elections is Monday April 29, 2024, the day of the combined poll, and the new date for the opening and closing of the electoral campaign is Saturday April 13, 2024 at zero hour (00H) and Saturday April 27, 2024 at twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes (23h59mn). The decree also sets Friday April 26, 2024 as the date for advance voting by the Togolese armed forces, security forces, paramilitary forces and the operational reserve. It also cancels all previous provisions to the contrary, according to the government.

To help prevent tensions during this election period, the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) calls on the government, electoral authorities, political parties and groupings, civil society organizations and the Togolese people to hold inclusive, peaceful legislative and regional elections, free of violence and weapons, throughout Togo.

WAANSA urges all parties involved in the joint electoral campaign, from April 13 to 27, 2024, to further ensure a secured, peaceful and conducive environment and respect for democratic rules with regard to the movements and activities of the various candidates and their supporters in all parts of the country.

WAANSA also calls on voters to take part in the April 29, 2024 joint ballot in a calm, disciplined manner that respects democratic values.

WAANSA equally calls on candidates and their supporters to adopt and respect the legal procedures in force in the event of a challenge to the results.

WAANSA also urges all Togolese people to commit themselves to peace, stability and democracy during this electoral period.

WAANSA, whose principal mission is to contribute towards the building of a secure, peaceful and conducive environment to sustainable development and the promotion of human security, finally urges the Togolese people to promote the motto: "Violence will not pass through me, during the electoral period", particularly armed violence.

‘’Let’s save lives... Let’s control weapons!’’

Abidjan, April 12, 2024.
Victorien Aka N'TAYE,
President of WAANSA

11/04/2024

On Wednesday, some members of the WAANSA Community in Ghana joined the Small Arms Commission, Ghana to launch the PROJECT in Ghana.

This joint initiative is supported by and aims to bolster efforts in addressing small arms proliferation amidst shifting security dynamics.

11/04/2024

We wish all of our Muslim Brothers and Sisters friends .

May this Eid bring you health, peace and prosperity.