Ghana’s Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improving conditions in the country’s prisons during a meeting with a high-level delegation from the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Accra.

The delegation was led by Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, the Commissioner responsible for promoting human rights in Ghana and the African Union’s Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa.

Also present were  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.

Commending Ghana’s prison education initiatives, the delegation noted the country’s efforts to provide inmates with access to academic and vocational training opportunities while serving their sentences.

Discussions centred on critical challenges confronting Ghana’s correctional system, including overcrowding, feeding conditions, and the need for alternative sentencing frameworks.

On the issue of inmate welfare, Mr. Mubarak disclosed that the Government has increased the daily feeding grant for prisoners from GHS 1.80 to GHS 5, in line with directives from President John Mahama.

He further outlined ongoing collaboration between the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the “Feed Ghana Project,” aimed at strengthening food supply and reducing shortages across facilities.

Addressing prison congestion, the Minister revealed that Cabinet is advancing work on a Community Sentencing Bill, which will introduce Non-Custodial Sentencing options such as community service.

According to him, the reform is intended to ease overcrowding while promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

The African Commission delegation welcomed the interventions, describing them as progressive steps towards safeguarding the rights and welfare of inmates.

Mr. Mubarak thanked the team for their visit and assured them of the government’s readiness to continue working with regional and international partners to strengthen prison management and uphold human rights standards in Ghana.