Prisoners in Ghana will soon see an improvement in their daily meals after the government approved a long-overdue increase in the feeding rate from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5.
The Minister for the Interior, Mr. Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, disclosed the revision when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
He confirmed that the new rate—approved by President John Mahama—will be factored into the 2026 Budget, with GH¢10 million earmarked to cover the last quarter of this year.
The adjustment marks the first increase since 2010, when the GH¢1.80 allocation was introduced. Lawmakers and prison officials alike had repeatedly described the amount as inadequate, noting that it made providing three balanced meals per day nearly impossible.
Concerns Over Prison Conditions
Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, told the committee that poor feeding arrangements have taken a toll on the health and wellbeing of inmates.
“Food shortages are the leading cause of unrest in prisons. Improving rations is not just about welfare—it is about maintaining peace and protecting officers on duty,” she warned.
Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie explained that the Prisons Service has been supplementing the meagre allocation with food from prison farms, fish ponds, and poultry projects, alongside donations from churches and civil society.
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A PAC member, Mr. Sebastian Fred Deh, compared the old GH¢1.80 figure to the GH¢2.50 per child under the school feeding programme, calling it “a violation of the Mandela Rules, which require the provision of adequate food for prisoners.”
Push for Further Increase
Although the new GH¢5 allocation is a significant improvement, prison authorities say it still falls short of the real cost of feeding adults in custody.
Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie confirmed that the Service will continue to push for a further review during the 2026 fiscal year to ensure sustainable prisoner welfare.
