“The prison is built for human beings, not animals” – Peter Toobu backs Wontumi’s call for reforms

The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has called for a national conversation on prison conditions and the need to ensure that inmates are treated humanely, regardless of the offences for which they are serving sentences.

His comments follow former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi’s call for sweeping reforms in Ghana’s prison system, including a dedicated prison hospital, improved welfare for prison officers, and regulated conjugal visits for inmates.

The proposals follow his remand on July 20, 2026, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah to mark his 100 days in detention.

Dr Boakye-Danquah said his visits to Chairman Wontumi had provided an opportunity for the politician to reflect on conditions within the Ghana Prisons Service, which he believes have seen limited structural improvement since 1962.

Chairman Wontumi is advocating a shift from a punishment-focused system to one that prioritises rehabilitation, welfare and productivity.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Toobu said prisons were established not only to protect the public by keeping offenders away from society but also to reform them.

He argued that committing a crime should not strip an individual of their humanity, stressing that inmates deserve humane treatment while serving their sentences.

“The prison is built for human beings, not animals. People are sent to prison as a means of reformation and also for public safety because criminals are incapacitated,” he said.

Mr Toobu noted that even people convicted of serious offences, including robbery and rape, remained human beings whose dignity should not be disregarded.

“Even if the person is a robber or a rapist, they are still human, regardless of their crime. Their humanity does not diminish,” he stated.

The Wa West MP further urged the public to recognise that anyone could face criminal accusations and potentially be imprisoned, although the determination of guilt must follow due legal process.

“Everybody is a potential criminal or a potential prisoner until there is a final verdict,” he said.

He also called for a distinction in the treatment and accommodation of inmates, arguing that people convicted of minor offences should not necessarily be housed alongside those who have committed heinous crimes.

Mr Toobu, however, acknowledged that limited accommodation in Ghana’s prisons presented a challenge to achieving such separation.

He cautioned against expecting prisons to provide every comfort but insisted that the limitations should not be used to justify inhumane conditions.

“The prison is not a mission house or a restaurant, and you cannot expect all the comfort you need. But we must be humane and serious as a nation,” he said.

Mr Toobu urged Ghanaians to take a keen interest in prison conditions and participate in discussions on how the country wants its correctional facilities to operate.

“We must all discuss and be interested in how we want our prisons to be,” he added.

His comments add to the ongoing debate on prison reform, particularly the balance between punishment, public safety, rehabilitation and the protection of inmates’ dignity.

Also read:

• Wontumi proposes dedicated prison hospital, improved officers’ welfare and new Prison Reform Act

• Five inmates transferred from their cell after alleged plot to poison Wontumi in Nsawam…