The Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, yesterday received a high-level delegation from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights at his office in Accra.
The delegation, led by Hon. Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie — Commissioner responsible for the promotion of human rights in Ghana and Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa — commended Ghana’s prison education system, which allows inmates to pursue both academic and vocational training while serving their sentences.
Discussions centered on pressing issues within the country’s prison system, including overcrowding, feeding challenges, and alternative sentencing measures. The delegation expressed particular interest in Ghana’s strategies to address these concerns.
Hon. Mubarak highlighted recent improvements in prison feeding, noting that government has increased the daily feeding grant for inmates from GHS 1.80 to GHS 5, following directives from the President. He also pointed to the collaboration between the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the Feed Ghana Project, which is helping to ease food supply challenges.
On overcrowding, the Minister assured the delegation that government is actively pursuing reforms through the development of a Community Sentencing Bill. The proposed legislation seeks to introduce alternative sentencing options, such as community service, to reduce the strain on prison facilities.
The delegation welcomed these interventions and expressed optimism about the proposed reforms.
Other members of the visiting team included Hon. Commissioner Hatem Essaiem, Chairperson of the Committee on the Prevention of Torture in Africa, and Hon. Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela, Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa.
Hon. Mubarak thanked the delegation for their visit and reaffirmed government’s commitment to improving prison conditions and safeguarding the welfare of inmates.
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