Southern Highlands leaders say the growing number of illegal firearms is threatening peace, public safety, and development across the province.
The provincial government has thrown its full support behind the National Government’s gun amnesty program and is urging people to surrender unlicensed weapons before the amnesty period ends.
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Provincial authorities say illegal guns continue to fuel tribal violence, destroy property, and place major development projects at risk.
As the nationwide Gun Amnesty Program rolls out, the Southern Highlands Provincial Government is preparing to coordinate the surrender of illegal firearms throughout the province.
“The Southern Highlands Government fully recognizes that the National Government Gun Amnesty Program is the way forward for peace and development in the country.”
Provincial leaders recently debated the initiative and passed resolutions supporting the gun amnesty program.
Southern Highlands Governor William Powi called on all individuals possessing illegal firearms to voluntarily surrender them to police before the amnesty deadline expires.
“If we continue to have guns everywhere, we will not have a future in this province,” Mr. Powi said in a media report.
“Gun surrender is the way forward.”
Governor Powi urged leaders, public servants, business owners, and educated elites to lead by example by surrendering any illegal weapons in their possession.
He also criticized traditional peace ceremonies conducted after tribal fighting, saying such interventions often happen only after lives have been lost and property destroyed.
Mr. Powi stressed the need to protect women and children from violence linked to illegal firearms.
“We must protect our young ones, protect our mothers and sisters, and build a province where we can all live in peace,” he said.
He warned that ongoing infrastructure projects and future investments in the province could be jeopardized if illegal firearms continued to circulate.
Deputy Administrator for Law-and-Order Dr. Emmanuel Kumpio Andrew also backed the governor’s call, saying leaders and public servants should take the first step by surrendering illegal guns.
Mr. Andrew revealed that he had formally written to Assistant Commissioner of Police Superintendent Joseph Tondop, informing police that the provincial administration was ready to work closely with law enforcement agencies during the amnesty program.
He also announced that a provincial gun amnesty committee had been established to support the initiative.
The committee will work alongside police and other authorities to conduct awareness campaigns across the province and encourage communities to surrender illegal firearms voluntarily.