Prison officers at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison have told Parliament’s Human Rights Committee that the daily feeding rate per inmate remains GHS 1.80 — a figure that has not been reviewed since 2011.

The disclosure was made on May 19, 2025, when members of the committee visited the facility to monitor conditions and speak with prison authorities.

The Officer-in-Charge of the prison, Deputy Director of Prisons Patrick Thomas Seidu, said the GHS 1.80 allocation is meant to cover three meals a day for each inmate.

He described the amount as woefully inadequate given current market prices, and said it falls short of what is required to meet the nutritional needs of prisoners.

“Inmates are still being fed on GHS 1.80 a day, which was last reviewed in 2011,” Mr Seidu told the MPs.

“This makes it very difficult to provide decent meals, considering the rise in food prices.”

Mr Seidu also raised concerns about the level of congestion at the facility.

He said the prison was originally built to hold 717 inmates but is now housing 3,548.

He added that the absence of scanning equipment at entry points makes it difficult to control the inflow of contraband items.

The visit was led by the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Mr Ernest Yaw Anim, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kumawu.

He noted that the committee was established under the leadership of the Speaker of Parliament,Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to help promote and protect human rights in the country’s governance process.

Mr James Agalga, the Ranking Member of the Committee, reiterated the need for Parliament to pay closer attention to conditions in the country’s prisons.

He also repeated his longstanding view that the death penalty should be abolished, saying it was important for Ghana to protect the value of human life at all levels.

The Director of Prisons in charge of Operations, Mr Hagbe Francis Selorm, accompanied the delegation during the visit and took part in discussions with the parliamentary team.