Fire Festival And Misuse Of Firearms Must Be Checked

The Fire Festival is celebrated across the Northern, North East, Savannah and Upper East Regions and it is one of the country’s most vibrant traditional events. It features processions with fire torches, drumming, dancing and communal festivities. However, in recent years, concerns have grown over the increasing use of small arms, including AK-47s and locally manufactured guns, during the celebration, leading to injuries, public fear and even fatalities in some cases.

Ahead of this year’s Fire Festival, the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons advised against the display and misuse of firearms, urging celebrants to uphold safety and legality during the cherished cultural event.In a public notice signed by Acting Executive Secretary, Dr. Adam Bonaa, the Commission cautioned against the brandishing of sophisticated weapons and warned that unauthorized possession and reckless discharge of firearms remain serious criminal offences under Ghanaian law.

The Commission emphasised that firearms are not symbolic instruments of celebration and called on celebrants, especially in the northern regions where the festival is predominantly observed, to shun the use of guns to mark the occasion.  “The Fire Festival is a cherished cultural event meant to foster unity, joy, and tradition—not violence or fear,” the statement read.

However, according to a graphiconline report, during the celebration of this year’s Fire festival, a young girl, Fatima, was shot dead at the Fire Festival in Bimbilla, within the Nanumba North Municipality of the Northern Region.Fatima, a year two student of the Bimbilla Senior High School was hit by a stray bullet while a procession was moving from the Regent’s Palace to the Wampu Dam, where the fire was to be thrown.

Fatima was hit by a bullet and sent to the hospital. The source of the shot remains unknown, and the police have yet to commence investigations into the incident.

The Chronicleis outraged and heartbroken by the needless loss of a young life in what should have been a joyous and culturally significant celebration. Fatima’s death is a grim reminder of how recklessness, poor crowd control and the unchecked use of firearms continue to endanger lives during traditional festivals across Ghana.

Cultural celebrations are essential for heritage preservation, but they must evolve with time. Tradition should never come at the cost of human life. Fatima had dreams. She was a student with potential. Her future was stolen in a moment of careless gunfire.

The use of live ammunition during such events defies common sense and public safety regulations. Where are the police protocols? Why are loaded weapons allowed in densely populated areas under the guise of tradition? In a country where gun violence is relatively low, compared to other regions globally, these incidents stick out as entirely preventable.

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees the right to life under Article 13. It is the state’s duty to protect this right. Yet, year after year, we allow loopholes in law enforcement and cultural leniency to rob us of our young people.

We demand a full-scale investigation into Fatima’s death and urge the Ghana Police Service to expedite the identification and prosecution of the individual responsible. Anything less would be an insult to her memory.

We also call on the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the National Commission on Culture and Traditional Councils across the north to immediately revise festival guidelines. The use of firearms in crowded spaces must be banned and security tightened. Other cultural groups have modernised their festivals without compromising heritage why can’t we?

Moreover, civic education is essential. Parents, traditional leaders and schools must collaborate to raise awareness about the risks involved in attending unsupervised and unsecured mass events, especially for minors.

The post Fire Festival And Misuse Of Firearms Must Be Checked appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story