Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms?
- What is the Mission of the Commission?
- What are the main functions of the Commission?
- What are the working days and hours of the Commission?
- Who funds the Commission?
- Does Sierra Leone have an Arms and Ammunition Act?
- Why was the Arms and Ammunition Act no 9 of 2012 enacted?
- What does Arms and Ammunition Registration mean?
- Why is the Commission registering Arms and Ammunition?
- Who is the Registrar of the Small Arms?
- What are the responsibilities of the Registrar?
- What Information will be recorded in the National Register of SALW ?
- Where will information on (SALW) be kept?
- What is Stockpile Management and Security?
- Who can possess SALW?
- Who shall be granted licence to posses firearms according to the AAA?
1. What is the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms?
It is a body established by an Act of Parliament to control the proliferation, illicit possession and use of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Sierra Leone. It was set up by the Small Arms Commission Act No 6 of 2010.
2. What is the Mission of the Commission?
The mission of the Commission is to ensure that Sierra Leone joins the Fight Against the illegal proliferation of SALW.
3. What are the main functions of the Commission?
The Main functions of the Commission are:
- To regulate and supervise the manufacture, trade and use of SALW, their ammunition and other related materials.
- To set in place programmes of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit proliferation, manufacture, trade and use of small arms and light weapons in all its aspects;
- Educate and sensitize the public and provide information on the dangers associated with the illicit manufacture, trade and use of small arms and light weapons.
- Ensure that the obligations of ECOWAS are Complied with.
- Establish and maintain an Arms Register for Transmission to the ECOWAS Secretariat.
- To control legitimate use of Firearms and advise the Minister of Internal Affairs on the formulation of policies and strategies as contained in the Convention and any other relevant International Conventions to which Sierra Leone is a part
4. What are the working days and hours of the Commission?
The normal working days: Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5:00 pm, and Friday 8:30am to 3:00 pm. Secretariat Staff are required to work extra hours during week days and as demanded by the exigencies of the job
The Government of Sierra Leone funds the Commission. Over the years the Commission has also received funding from UNDP, ECOWAS and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).
6. Does Sierra Leone have an Arms and Ammunition Act?
Yes. It is the Sierra Leone Arms and Ammunition Act No 9 of 2012 which replaced the obsolete Arms and Ammunition Act no 14 of 1955.
7. Why was the Arms and Ammunition Act no 9 of 2012 enacted?
The Arms and Ammunition Act no 9 of 2012 was, among other things, enacted to regulate the possession, manufacture, transfer, sale, licence and use of SALW within Sierra Leone.
8. What does Arms and Ammunition Registration mean?
Arms and Ammunition registration means the recording of all arms and ammunition in the National Register.
9. Why is the Commission registering Arms and Ammunition?
The Commission is registering all arms and ammunition so that there will be proper record of licences, transfers, manufacture, sale, possession and use of all Small Arms and Ammunition throughout Sierra Leone.
10. Who is the Registrar of the Small Arms?
The Commissioner of the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms appointed Under Section 3 of the National Commission on Small Arms Act No 6 of 2010 is the registrar of SALW.
11. What are the responsibilities of the Registrar?
The registrar shall be responsible for the regulation and licensing, transfer, manufacture, sale, possession and use of all small arms and light weapons throughout Sierra Leone.
12. What Information will be recorded in the National Register of SALW ?
The information that will be recorded in the Register of SALW shall be
- Type or model, caliber and quantity ( if it concerns a batch).
- Details relating to marking, names and addresses of former and current owners where applicable, and
- Successive owner and date of registration
13. Where will information on (SALW) be kept?
Information relating to SALW shall be permanently kept in the National Arms Registry
14. What is Stockpile Management and Security?
Stockpile Management and Security means the necessary measures taken to ensure the safe and effective management, storage, safety and security of all stocks of SALW throughout Sierra Leone and to ensure that the stockpiles of SALW by manufacturers, dealers as well as individuals are securely stored in accordance with prescribed standards and procedures.
No person shall have in his possession, custody or control of SALW unless that person holds a licence issued by the Registrar of SALW.
16. Who shall be granted licence to posses firearms according to the AAA?
A firearms licence shall not be granted to an applicant under section 12 sub-section 1 a-j of the AAA unless:
- he/she is over the age of 21, and a citizen or permanent resident
- he/she has not been convicted of any crime of violence to the person or drugs and human trafficking.
- he/she does not have a history of family violence whether or not it resulted in a criminal conviction.
- he/she is medically certified as mentally and physically fit.
- he/she has a record of good behavior duly testified by any person of note in his community, and in the case of applicants in the provinces by the paramount Chief of that chiefdom
- he/she has been cleared by both the Sierra Leone Police and Office of National Security as fit and proper person to be issued with a firearms licence.
- the applicant has undergone safety and competency training including training in the relevant laws relating to firearms as may be prescribed by the registrar and that there is proof that the firearms will be stored in a safe place and separately from its ammunition.