THAT EVERYBODY MAY BE SAFE (SEPT 16, 2009)

THE fight against violent crimes has taken a new dimension with the declaration of war on the manufacturers of locally made arms by the police.
This has introduced an interesting debate into the methods by which the country can deal with violent crimes such as armed robbery and drug trafficking, and how to deal with the perpetrators, who sometimes are a shade ahead of the law enforcement agencies.
These groups of criminals, with the aid of modern gadgets, have perfected their acts, thereby creating a state of insecurity across the length and breadth of the country.
The new focus of the police to tackle the problem at the root emphasises the point that proliferation of trade in small arms has also aggravated criminal activities in the country.
Another factor that has facilitated the proliferation is the free movement of people across our borders, which makes it easy for cross-border crimes to be committed.
The types of arms and ammunition used by these criminals, which are the preserve of our security agencies, and how they get into their hands can only be a matter of conjecture.
Fortunately however, the security agencies have over the past few months taken the fight to the robbers and made violent crimes a very risky business. Many of the notorious robbers have been gunned down in fire exchanges with the police or arrested during such exchanges with the security personnel.
A few months ago, not a day passed by without a group of armed robbers taking people hostage and robbing them of their valuable possessions.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Quaye, upon assumption of office, decided to do everything within his power to fulfil the pledge by President J.E.A. Mills to ensure that the country was secure and free from the menace of armed robbery.
More police and military personnel on joint operations have reduced the impunity with which armed robbers have abused and molested peace-loving people in the country.
In spite of all these however, there is the need to take another look at the legislation which makes it a crime to manufacture arms locally.
Rather, these artisans need to be identified and registered so that those who patronise their wares can be identified.
The trade in locally made pistols dates back centuries and the trade, no matter the danger it poses, offers people some livelihood.
Just as there is a register of people who import arms into the country, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that people who engage in the business of local arms such as the blacksmiths can be registered so that the security agencies can regulate their activities.
Let us not drive the activities of local arms dealers underground. We need to encourage them to operate in a more open and regulated environment.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is equally worried about the state of arm robbery and we shall support the relevant state agencies to deal decisively with the menace, but we should do so without jeopardising the craft of manufacturing local arms and thus put the livelihood of blacksmiths in danger.
We must be mindful of the move to control the trade in local arms so that a more fertile ground is not created for the trade to flourish underground.