Government raises daily feeding allowance for prison inmates from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5

The government has increased the daily feeding allowance for Ghana Prisons Service inmates from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang announced.

She said the increase forms part of broader efforts to improve conditions in the country’s prisons, strengthen rehabilitation programmes and enhance the operational capacity of the Prisons Service.

The Vice President announced this at the commissioning of Cadet Course Intakes 33, 34 and 35 into the Senior Officer Corps of the Ghana Prisons Service at Adansi Fumso in the Ashanti Region.

She said improving conditions in prisons must remain a priority, stressing that the work of the Prisons Service extends beyond keeping offenders in custody to protecting the public, respecting human dignity and preparing inmates for reintegration into society.

“A prison service must do more than maintain custody. It must protect the public, respect human dignity, and give those in its care a genuine opportunity for rehabilitation,” she said.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang highlighted the Community Service Act 2026 and the Prisons Regulations 2026 as key measures intended to address overcrowding and expand alternatives to custodial sentences.

Under the reforms, eligible offenders may undertake supervised community service or, under specified conditions, serve portions of their sentences within the community.

She said successful implementation would depend on proper training, coordination among justice sector institutions and adequate resources to ensure public safety and accountability.

Other interventions outlined by the Vice President include the commissioning of the Damongo Camp Prison, plans to complete the remand facility at Nsawam and the upgrading of prison infirmaries.

The Vice President also highlighted the contribution of prison farms and vocational training programmes to inmate rehabilitation and welfare.

She said the government had provided tractors, fertilisers, seeds and other agricultural inputs to support prison farming, which contributes significantly to meeting inmates’ daily food needs.

She further disclosed that prison officers, their dependents and inmates had been allocated slots under the One Million Coders Programme to acquire digital skills.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang warned that the gains made through rehabilitation could be undermined if former inmates faced rejection after completing their sentences.

“Stigma can undo years of effort,” she said, urging families, employers, faith leaders and communities to give reformed inmates opportunities to rebuild their lives.

Addressing the newly commissioned officers, she said their elevation came with greater responsibility for the conduct and welfare of officers under their supervision, as well as the safety and dignity of inmates.

She urged them to uphold the Constitution, professional standards and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

The Vice President congratulated the officers and formally commissioned Cadet Course Intakes 33, 34 and 35 into the Senior Officer Corps of the Ghana Prisons Service as Assistant Superintendents of Prisons.