Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spokesperson to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has urged the government and Parliament to undertake major reforms in Ghana’s prison system. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Dr Boakye-Danquah shared Chairman Wontumi’s observations and recommendations following his remand on July 20, 2026. Chairman Wontumi’s experience in prison has given him the opportunity to interact with prison officers and inmates and observe the challenges facing the Ghana Prisons Service.
Chairman Wontumi believes the correctional system must move beyond punishment to focus on rehabilitation, welfare and productivity. One of his major concerns is the lack of dedicated, well-equipped prison hospitals, ambulances and standby generators in several prison facilities. Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had raised concerns about the difficulties in providing medical care to seriously ill inmates, including those suffering from tuberculosis.
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had proposed emergency arrangements with the 37 Military Hospital and the Police Hospital. He is also calling for the construction of a modern prison hospital to serve facilities across the country. On the welfare of prison officers, Chairman Wontumi has urged the government to review their salaries, accommodation and conditions of service.
Chairman Wontumi has also called for proper classification of inmates, arguing that minor offenders should not be housed alongside armed robbery convicts and that persons facing trial for serious offences, including treason and terrorism, should be appropriately separated from other inmates. The statement further highlighted concerns about the need for counselling and behavioural support for young inmates, particularly those serving sentences for defilement-related offences.
Chairman Wontumi has proposed the creation of designated private areas where prisoners can receive visits from their spouses and children. He believes regulated conjugal visits could help preserve marriages, reduce tension among inmates and support rehabilitation. “The prisoner is the one in prison, not the children or spouse,” the statement noted, explaining his position on the need to protect family relationships during incarceration.
Chairman Wontumi has appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to support prison farms with the necessary equipment to improve food production. According to the statement, the Ghana Prisons Service has access to vast lands and skilled labour but faces a shortage of agricultural equipment, with only one tractor reportedly available for farming and garbage-related activities. He has further proposed greater collaboration between prison authorities and the justice sector.
Dr Boakye-Danquah said Chairman Wontumi had made a special appeal to Parliament to lead efforts towards comprehensive prison reform. He is urging the Speaker of Parliament to initiate discussions on prison conditions as a human rights and national development issue. Chairman Wontumi has called for broader prison reforms across Africa, expressing hope that Ghana could lead the continent in improving correctional facilities.
Key points
- Chairman Wontumi calls for construction of a modern prison hospital
- Regulated conjugal visits proposed to support rehabilitation
- Comprehensive prison reform urged by Chairman Wontumi
