The acting Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Dr Adam Bonaa, has stated that the Bimbilla SHS student’s death could have been avoided.
A student of Bimbilla Senior High School was confirmed dead in Bimbilla during the celebration of the Fire Festival on Saturday, July 5.
Reports suggest, the victim has been identified as Fatima.
According to reports, the student was hit in the neck by a stray bullet fired by a celebrant during the festival and died instantly.
The victim’s body has since been sent to the hospital morgue by security personnel.
Despite earlier warnings from the Municipal Security Council urging participants to refrain from discharging firearms, the warning fell on deaf ears, and the Fire Festival were marked by widespread gunfire and the use of explosives.
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons had earlier issued a stern warning urging citizens, particularly in the northern regions, to say no to the display and misuse of small arms during the Fire Festival.
According to Dr Adam Bonaa, their warning and caution fell on deaf ears.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, Dr Bonaa stated, “We saw the need to caution the celebrants, those who were going to take part in the festive celebration. Festivals have been part of us for centuries, and no one can say there shouldn’t be festivals. But of course, we needed to caution the celebrants to be cautious…We have had a series of these events, either leading to injuries or deaths”.
“Therefore, we needed to caution, but unfortunately, it looks like that fell on deaf ears,” he said.
“Most of the celebrants used weapons that are not permissible at all, that you can’t even license in this country and fired them indiscriminately… It is needless, why do you shoot with a live armour that has pellets during festivals?” he asked.
He revealed, “We have a Bill at the ministerial level that is currently pending to be sent to the cabinet and eventually to Parliament to be promulgated into law.
At the moment, there isn’t a clear-cut regulator when it comes to firearms. And so, every Tom, Dick and Harry, children in Senior High Schools, are stealing their parents’ side arms to schools”.
