The Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has called for urgent reforms to improve conditions in the country’s prisons following his working visit to the Kumasi Central Prisons.
Describing the current state of affairs as “deeply unacceptable,” he was shocked at the quality and quantity of food served to inmates, as well as the general management of resources within the facility.
“I couldn’t imagine how the food was going to look like until I saw it. It was heartbreaking. I’m told this is supposed to feed 4,557 inmates — food that would barely satisfy 20 people in our homes. That is not right,” he stated.
He criticised the lack of proper oversight and promised to engage directly with President Mahama to push for immediate improvements in prisoners’ welfare.
The Interior Minister stressed that he would make a strong recommendation to review the eligibility criteria for prison staff and ensure that only qualified and compassionate personnel manage correctional facilities.
“I promise to give this my best. This is not just a duty, it’s personal. We need to reform the system and treat inmates with the dignity they deserve,” he stated.
Muntaka revealed plans to strengthen the governing council overseeing prison management and appealed for independent monitoring to ensure accountability.
“This is a promise I’ve made not just to myself but to the people. We must do better. The current state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue,” he affirmed.
His visit was part of the Ministry’s broader initiative to assess conditions across correctional institutions nationwide and implement sustainable reforms aimed at humanizing the prison system.
By Benjamin Aidoo
