A tragic incident at the annual Fire Festival in Bimbilla has reignited debate over the misuse of traditional events in Ghana. The death of Fatima, a second-year student of Bimbilla Senior High School, who was killed by a stray bullet, has prompted security consultant Richard Kumadoe to raise serious concerns about the growing danger of firearms at cultural celebrations.
The procession, which began from the regent’s palace to the Wampu Dam on July 6, turned deadly when a bullet struck the young student. Speaking on TV3, Kumadoe emphasized that such traditional events are increasingly becoming platforms for individuals to settle personal scores under the guise of cultural practice.
“These are no longer just celebrations,” he warned. “Traditional festivals in Ghana have become vulnerable grounds where people want to settle scores.”
According to Kumadoe, traditional authorities have lost control over the use of firearms during festivals. He argued that many of those who show up armed are not vetted and often come with dangerous weapons without any oversight.
He pointed to weaknesses in Ghana’s arms licensing and regulation system, explaining that even though certain individuals are legally importing arms into the country, there is a growing spillover into the hands of people with no legal or moral right to possess them.
“There has to be a strict background check on who is eligible to own a weapon and what type of weapon they are supposed to own,” he noted. “Licensing renewals must be tightened, and the police must track where these arms are going.”
Kumadoe also highlighted the troubling reality of locally-manufactured, unlicensed weapons, calling for a nationwide monitoring mechanism.
“We have a major challenge with people who manufacture arms locally,” he said. “I’ll speak with my colleague Dr Adam Bonaa, about creating a strategy to monitor and regulate these centers.”
He didn’t hold back in criticizing the state’s lack of enforcement, arguing that non-punishment of crimes is encouraging anti-social behavior.
“When the state fails to punish wrongdoing, it justifies bad behavior. People break laws knowing they won’t face consequences.”
The issue, he said, goes beyond festivals. Gunfire at funerals is now common, and many of those firing weapons have no connection to the families involved or legal permission to carry arms.
Referring to Fatima’s death, Kumadoe strongly rejected the idea that it was simply a stray bullet.
“This cannot be called an accident,” he insisted. “This was someone acting irresponsibly—possibly even deliberately—and it cost a young girl her life.”
He concluded with a call for the government to take central control over how traditional events involving firearms are organized.
“It’s high time the state steps in with proper guidelines and enforcement around festivals and funerals where guns are used.”
