Deputy Minister-Designate Calls for Stricter Gun Control at Traditional Events After Nungua Shooting
Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, the Deputy Minister Designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, has called for stricter gun control measures at traditional events following a shooting incident at the enskinment ceremony of Lawrencia Naa Borley Nelson, also known as Naa Gamu, the newly enskinned Queen of the Ga-Adangme Muslim Union (Nungua West).
The incident occurred on February 26, 2025, in Nungua when a musketeer accidentally discharged a live bullet, striking Naa Gamu in the thigh.
She and her husband were being enskinned as queen and chief of the Ga-Adangme Muslim Union’s Nungua West branch when the unfortunate event took place.
Addressing the incident during her vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Rita Odoley Sowah stressed the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar accidents.
She emphasized the importance of implementing better control measures to ensure that cultural practices do not endanger lives, urging stakeholders to work together to enforce safety protocols at traditional events.
“Where there are traditional programmes, there is some form of shooting and we are supposed to use gunpowder for such things. As we heard, it means they used a live bullet at the programme, which is not right.
“So, I believe with my minister, we will work with the Ministry of the Interior so that when there are such programmes where they will be using the guns, they need to take bullets from the police or there must be security presence at such functions,” she stated.