Prez Mahama Increases Prison Inmates Daily Feeding to GHC5 – Prisons Service Boss

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Esq.), has revealed that government has approved an upward adjustment of the daily feeding allowance for inmates from GHC1.80 to GHC5.

However, she noted that the funds are yet to be released.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, September 30, Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie said the previous allocation of GHC1.80 per inmate was “grossly inadequate” and a major factor behind unrest in the country’s prisons.

“Once the feeding is wrong, it has ripple effects on health and every other thing. We are hopeful that the GHC5 a day will be further reviewed upward in 2026 to reflect the actual feeding needs of an adult, especially one behind bars,” she told the Committee.

She disclosed that to supplement food supplies, prison authorities depend on small-scale gardens, a fishpond, and donations from churches.

Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie warned that poor feeding remains one of the leading causes of prison riots, which endanger the lives of prison officers.

“One of the things that spark inmate riots is food. Whenever riots occur, the prison officer becomes the first point of attack before any intervention. We therefore do everything possible to prevent such situations,” she stressed.

Beyond the issue of feeding, the Director-General urged broader reforms to improve prison conditions, stressing that inmate welfare is critical to national security.

“If we want to have serious public safety in this country, we have to prioritise the needs of prisoners. They are part of us, they will one day return to society, and we never know who will be our next guest,” she added.

Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsgahana.com