Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-Valley, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, has expressed grave concern over the increasing use of live ammunition and firearms during traditional festivals across the country, describing the trend as a serious threat to public safety and national security.
Making a statement on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, Mr. Cudjoe said Ghana’s traditional festivals, which are meant to celebrate culture, unity, and community development, are increasingly being overshadowed by tragic incidents resulting from the reckless discharge of firearms loaded with live ammunition.
According to him, traditional gun salutes, historically performed using blank gunpowder to produce symbolic sounds during festivals and funerals of chiefs and distinguished personalities, have in recent years evolved into the use of modern pistols, locally manufactured shotguns, and even assault rifles loaded with live rounds.
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“This dangerous trend is gradually transforming joyous cultural celebrations into scenes of bloodshed, mourning, and fear,” he told the House.
The legislator noted that the issue has moved beyond a hypothetical risk and has become an active public safety crisis, with innocent citizens losing their lives through stray bullets during festival celebrations.
To underscore the severity of the problem, Mr. Cudjoe cited several incidents reported across the country in recent years, including the death of a Bimbilla Senior High School student allegedly caused by a stray bullet during the Bugum Fire Festival in July 2025. He also referenced reports of fatalities and injuries during the Tshi Omoh Festival in August 2025, as well as other shooting-related incidents linked to festival celebrations.
“These are not isolated incidents. Similar cases are reported almost every year during festivals across the country,” he stressed.
The MP revealed that the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has repeatedly raised concerns that many of the firearms displayed and discharged during such events are unregistered, unlicensed, and therefore illegal.
Mr. Cudjoe called on Parliament and relevant state institutions to take urgent measures to address the growing menace.
Among the interventions he proposed are stricter enforcement of existing laws by the Ghana Police Service and local security councils, stronger collaboration with traditional authorities to regulate gun salutes, and a comprehensive review of laws governing the ownership and use of small arms and light weapons.
He urged traditional leaders to ensure that only designated, vetted, and licensed individuals are allowed to perform ceremonial gun salutes and that such activities are carried out strictly with blank powder rather than live ammunition.
The legislator also called on the Ministry of the Interior to work with the Cabinet to strengthen the legal framework governing the possession and use of firearms, particularly during public gatherings.
Mr. Cudjoe emphasized that cultural traditions should never come at the expense of human life.
“One death is one too many. Let us act decisively today so that future festival seasons are remembered for development, unity, and cultural pride, not for stray bullets, needless deaths, and broken families,” he stated.