The Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, has assured the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights of government’s continued commitment to improving prison conditions and safeguarding the welfare of inmates.
The minister gave the assurance when he received a delegation from the Commission, led by Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, at his office in Accra on Thursday.
Commissioner Sallah-Njie, who is responsible for the promotion of human rights in Ghana and serves as the 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 challenges in Ghana’s prison system, particularly overcrowding, feeding conditions, and the need for alternative sentencing measures.
The delegation expressed keen interest in the country’s strategies to tackle overcrowding and improve feeding standards.
On feeding, the Interior Minister highlighted significant progress, noting that government has increased the daily feeding grant for prisoners from GHS 1.80 to GHS 5, following a directive by the President.
He also pointed to ongoing collaboration between the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the “Feed Ghana Project” to address food supply challenges.
Addressing the issue of overcrowding, Asawase member of Parliament (MP) Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed disclosed that government is working on a Community Sentencing Bill, which, once passed, will 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 delegation included Commissioner Hatem Essaiem, Chairperson of the Committee on the Prevention of Torture in Africa, and Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela, Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
