NATIONAL REPENTANCE DAY TO BE FINAL DAY OF GOVERNMENT AMNESTY BUY BACK PROGRAM

BY NIGEL MADO

After months of the Government’s Amnesty Buy-back scheme for illegal firearms, the Ministry of Police and Internal Security have announced that the 28th, August will be the final day for the scheme.

Minister for Police, Sir John Pundari made this announcement, adding that this coincides with the National Day of Repentance as this would mark the potential end of 5 month’s-worth of continuous police effort to rid the violence stricken province of Enga from illegal firearms.

Minister Pundari called on citizens and leaders to reflect on forgiveness and the path forward adding that individuals who continue to harbor illegal firearms need to draw the line on living in a peaceful society or continue to let the scourge of the illegal weapons wreak havoc on their communities.

He described this a tuning point for the province, calling on all those that are still in position of weapons to voluntarily surrender their weapons before the end of the Amnesty period as he is now bringing forward new legislation to be tabled in parliament to reform the penalties for the trade of illegal weapons.