The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons has warned parents to desist from purchasing toy guns for their children.
According to the Commission, exposing children to guns at an early age may lead them to perceive violence as a commonplace aspect of life.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Gyebi Asante, Deputy Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana National Commission, cited a recent event in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region that has heightened concerns about toy guns.
He noted that on January 23rd, 2026, the police confiscated a pump-action gun from a 15-year-old boy in Bepotenten Sukuum.
When the officers directed the boy to ask the owner to come to the police station with the appropriate documentation, a confrontation occurred, resulting in one death and another person injured.
Mr. Gyebi Asante stressed that exposing children to guns can lead them towards actual gun violence.
“The concern is that kids, especially boys, are often given toy guns as playthings, which can lead to a false sense of familiarity with real guns. If their parents accidentally leave a real firearm unsecured, the child might mistake it for a toy and handle it, with potentially disastrous consequences,” he noted.
He made a passionate appeal to parents to abandon toy guns in favour of alternative, non-violent toys that encourage healthy play and development.
Mr. Gyebi Asante further indicated that this approach can foster a safer and more responsible mindset in children and diminish the likelihood of their involvement with real firearms.
