In a significant move aimed at prison decongestion and promoting justice, President John Dramani Mahama has granted a presidential amnesty to 998 prisoners across Ghana.
This decision, announced on Monday, August 18, 2025, follows recommendations from the Prisons Service Council and consultations with the Council of State.
The act of clemency is in line with Article 72(1) of the Constitution, which gives the President the authority to grant pardons, reprieves, or commute sentences. Out of 1,014 cases reviewed, 998 prisoners were approved for either immediate release or a reduction in their sentences.
Who Benefits from the Amnesty?
The amnesty specifically targets some of the most vulnerable individuals in the prison system. According to a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of Government Communications, the beneficiaries include:
- First-time offenders: 787 persons
- Death sentences commuted to life imprisonment: 87 persons
- Life sentences commuted to a 20-year definite term: 51 persons
- Seriously ill prisoners: 33 persons
- Prisoners over 70 years of age: 36 persons
- Nursing mothers: 2 persons
- Petition cases: 2 persons
What is Presidential Amnesty?
Presidential amnesty is a constitutional provision that allows Ghana’s President to pardon prisoners or reduce their sentences based on recommendations from the Prisons Service Council and the Council of State.
This measure is a key tool for addressing prison overcrowding, promoting humanitarian concerns, and ensuring that justice is balanced with compassion, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly, the sick, and nursing mothers.
