New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Women’s Organiser Mavis Hawa Koomson has renewed calls for the legalisation of pepper spray in Ghana, arguing that women should be allowed to carry the self-defence tool for personal protection.
Speaking on Adom FM, Madam Koomson said her experience during the violent Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun in July 2025 reinforced her belief that women should have access to lawful means of protecting themselves in dangerous situations.
“With what happened in Ablekuma North, I would have died if not for pepper spray,” she said.
Madam Koomson disclosed that she has carried pepper spray for several years as a personal safety measure, adding that even people within her security detail were unaware that she had it.
“I always carry it around, and until that day, nobody knew that I carry pepper spray around,” she said.
She said the incident at Ablekuma North demonstrated the importance of having access to a means of protection when confronted with immediate danger.
“Even the police in Ablekuma North didn’t know I had it on me,” she added.
Madam Koomson also cited practices in other countries where pepper spray is permitted as a personal safety tool, arguing that Ghana could consider a regulated approach.
“Abroad, we give it to people for safety,” she said.
She therefore urged the government to consider legalising pepper spray, indicating her willingness to comply with any licensing or regulatory requirements that may be introduced.
“If we have to get a licence for pepper spray, we will. The government should legalise the use of pepper spray,” she said.
Her latest comments revive a proposal she made during her campaign for the position of NPP National Women’s Organiser ahead of the party’s National Delegates Conference.
At the time, Madam Koomson pledged to advocate for pepper spray to be made available to NPP women, alongside personal safety training. She argued that the item should be treated as a protective tool rather than an instrument for confrontation.
She has previously maintained that her use of pepper spray during the Ablekuma North rerun was an act of self-defence.
Madam Koomson said her advocacy is ultimately aimed at giving women access to practical means of protecting themselves when faced with potentially dangerous situations.
