The Government of Ghana has finally approved an upward adjustment in the daily feeding allowance for prisoners, moving from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5. This marks the first increment in 15 years and is expected to significantly improve the welfare of inmates across the country.
The announcement was made by the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
According to the Minister, the revised rate has received presidential approval and will be captured in the 2026 Budget. He further revealed that about GH¢10 million will be released to cover feeding expenses for the last quarter of 2025.
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Why the Increment Was Necessary
For years, the GH¢1.80 daily feeding allowance, which had remained unchanged since 2010, has been described as grossly inadequate for providing three meals a day to prisoners.
Members of the PAC noted that the old allocation failed to meet the nutritional needs of inmates, leading to health concerns and violations of international standards such as the Mandela Rules, which require adequate and nutritious food for prisoners.
Voices from the Prisons Service
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, told the committee that the feeding challenges have negatively affected the health and well-being of inmates.
She disclosed that the Prisons Service has been supplementing meals with produce from gardens, fish ponds, and poultry projects across facilities, in addition to occasional donations from churches.
Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie also warned that food shortages remain the leading cause of unrest in prisons, urging government to prioritize regular and timely release of funds to avoid tension.
Comparisons and Concerns
Committee member Mr. Sebastian Fred Deh compared the previous GH¢1.80 prisoner feeding rate with the GH¢2.50 allocated per child under the School Feeding Programme, describing the situation as unfair and unsustainable.
He stressed that the increment to GH¢5 is a welcome move but called for consistent reviews to keep pace with the rising cost of food and living in Ghana.
What Next for Prison Feeding in Ghana?
Although the new GH¢5 rate has been approved, the Prisons Service has indicated that it will continue to push for further adjustments in the 2026 fiscal year to reflect the real cost of feeding adults in custody.
Analysts believe that with inflation and food prices still high, the GH¢5 allocation may not be enough to ensure proper nutrition, but it is a positive step forward after 15 years of neglect.
Conclusion
The upward adjustment of the Ghana prison feeding allowance from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5 is a historic move that could improve inmate welfare and reduce tension in the country’s prisons. While stakeholders welcome this decision, there are strong calls for consistent reviews, timely disbursement of funds, and long-term reforms in the prison system to ensure sustainable and humane conditions for inmates.
