President John Dramani Mahama has approved the release of 998 prisoners across Ghana, exercising his constitutional authority to grant clemency, officials said.
The decision, announced by presidential spokesperson and Minister of Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu, follows recommendations from the Prisons Service Council in consultation with the Council of State. The move was made under Article 72(1) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which empowers the president to extend mercy in cases deemed appropriate.
Of the 1,014 inmates initially recommended for amnesty, 998 received final approval. The president’s office described the action as part of a broader effort to address issues of prison overcrowding and demonstrate clemency in deserving cases.
The Ghana Prisons Service has faced mounting criticism in recent years over poor conditions and strained resources. While the amnesty is unlikely to resolve those structural challenges entirely, it marks a significant gesture in the administration’s handling of the penal system.
