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Plight of inmates at Kumasi Central Prisons Banku,‘Keta school boys’ soup served daily
The consumption of rice as a staple food may be very common in many homes, but this is not so at the Kumasi Central Prisons where inmates enjoy the staple once in a year, specifically during the Christmas festivities.
For the inmates, their daily bread has been ‘banku and keta schoolboys’ soup.
According to the Deputy Director of Prisons, James B. Mwinyelle, the Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons and Officer in- charge of the Kumasi Central Prisons, serving inmates rice would require a total of 16 bags of the 50kg rice bags.
Speaking to The Spectator, he said though gari was a good alternative, it remains expensive for the Prisons authority for the large number of the inmates.
“The authorities cannot even afford gari let alone beans to serve as proteins, so we rely on ‘Keta school boys’ as a source of protein.”
“Rice is expensive; the authority cannot afford it for this number of inmates we are dealing with. It is reason why we may be considering rice for them at Christmas,” he noted.
According to the Regional Commander, the increasing number of inmates was a serious concern for the authorities.
Constructed in 1901 and expanded in 1935 to accommodate 500 inmates, the facility now houses 1,627 inmates with 1,214 being convicts and 230 offenders on remand with 82 being on trial.
“Feeding this number of inmates with a feeding grant of Gh¢1.80 per inmate a day to prepare food is a huge burden on the authorities,” he stated.
He said the poor feeding regime was creating a serious health issues for the inmates, two of whom have lost their lives.
The Deputy Director of Prisons further indicated that the poor feeding coupled with congestion and lack of space for exercise among the inmates needed urgent attention to protect them and thereby reduce the high cost of medical treatment which had become a great burden to the authority.
Bathing soap for the inmates, he mentioned, was a big headache for the authority as about Gh¢8,000.00 was needed every month to purchase carbolic soap for each inmate which would not last for two weeks.
He pointed out that it was important for the state to have a second look at the state of affairs of the prisons in the country and come out with urgent measures to address the situation.
He called for a review of the feeding grant and consider the Prisons proposal of between Gh¢7.00 and Gh¢10.00 for each inmate per day.
The Regional Commander also mentioned that the Kumasi Central Prisons had taken up serious vegetable farming to help with the feeding of the inmates.
He urged the public to come to the aid of the inmates, saying that the prisons was part of society and must be seen as such in order to avoid a situation where the place would be a harbinger for radicalisation.
The issue of the feeding grant has come at a time the Minister designate for Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has raised serious concerns about the deplorable state of Ghana’s prisons, particularly regarding the inadequate budget allocated for feeding inmates.
Speaking during his vetting before the parliamentary appointments committee on Friday January 24, Muntaka pledged to prioritise prison reforms if his nomination was approved.
The Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) lamented that the G¢1.80 daily feeding budget per prisoner, describing it as grossly insufficient and inhumane
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
