The shooting of Nana Okofo Kwabena Bonsu, Adanse Dompoasehene, at a funeral in Obuasi on Saturday, December 29, 2025 is yet another painful reminder of a growing national crisis we have failed to confront decisively.
The incident, confirmed by Ashanti Regional Minister and REGSEC Chairman, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, and followed by the arrest of 30-year-old suspect, Nana Yaw Dankwa, should not be dismissed as an isolated tragedy.
It is part of a persistent pattern, one that continues to maim, traumatise and claim innocent lives across the country. Ghana’s cultural traditions are rich, colourful and deeply meaningful. Musketeering, in particular, has long been a vibrant aspect of festivals, funerals and other customary gatherings.
But in recent years, it has evolved into a dangerous and poorly regulated practice. The question we must now confront is simple: How many more lives must be shattered before we act?
Earlier this year, broadcaster Stephen Kofi Adoma, popularly known as Kofi Adoma Nwanwani, was shot in the eye during a festival in Dormaa, nearly costing him his life.
That tragedy also sparked outrage. Yet, as with many similar incidents, most of which go unreported, no systemic reforms followed.
The heart of the matter lies in the reckless handling of firearms, often by people with little to no training. Not only do some musketeers harm themselves during performances, but many use live ammunition in densely populated areas. This reckless bravado, wrapped in the cloak of tradition, is indefensible.
The Chronicle strongly supports the Interior Ministry’s temporary nationwide ban on the use of firearms at funerals and traditional gatherings, backed by Minister Dr Amoakohene, as an immediate step to save lives. But a ban alone will not fix the deeper crisis.
Ghana’s weak control of small arms is an open wound. The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has repeatedly warned that the proliferation of illegal firearms has become “uncontrollable” in parts of the country.
The facts are alarming; a craft gun costs as little as US$9 to produce while gunsmiths manufacture an estimated 200,000 illegal weapons annually. These guns are sold for US$90–150, depending on the model and Criminals use these weapons in 90% of home robberies.
Between September 2022 and April 2023, 30 people were killed with craft guns in 12 incidents in north-east Ghana. Furthermore, by April 2023, 23 self-defence youth groups were operating in Bawku alone, further fuelling demand for illegal arms
These numbers underline a grim reality that Ghana is sitting on a powder keg of unchecked weapons, porous regulation, and rising community tensions.
The Chronicle believes the time has come for bold, structural action.First, artisanal gunsmiths must be licensed, monitored, and regulated.The current free-for-all system—where illegal guns can be manufactured cheaply and openly—poses an existential threat to national security.
Second, the Ministry of Interior, through the Police Service, must establish strict guidelines for musketeering during cultural events. Anyone wishing to discharge a firearm publicly must be vetted and certified.
Third, chiefs, traditional rulers and event organisers must take responsibility in case of any eventuality. Event organisers must notify police in advance if musketeers will participate and ensure that trained personnel and not amateurs handle firearms.
Finally, Parliament should consider enacting a comprehensive “Traditional Firearms Use Regulation Act” to provide legal clarity and enforcement mechanisms. Tradition must never become an excuse for endangering human life. Ghana’s cultural heritage is precious, but it must evolve with the times.
We cannot continue to applaud performances that place communities at risk or tolerate an illicit weapons market that empowers criminals and destabilises entire regions.
The shooting incident in Obuasi should be the turning point. Ghana must decide once and for all that no celebration, no ritual and no tradition is worth a single human life.
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