The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has begun deliberations on the proposed Community Service Bill 2026, aimed at addressing prison overcrowding and reducing the cost of maintaining inmates.

The Committee met with officials from the Ministry of the Interior, the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, and the Gaming Commission on Tuesday.

The meeting also reviewed the 2024 Audit Committee’s annual report on the Ministry and its agencies.

During the meeting, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, said the bill is designed to decongest prisons across the country, reduce government spending on feeding and maintaining inmates, and lower reoffending rates.

He explained that the proposed law will apply to offences punishable by a prison term of not more than three years, with or without a fine.

Under the bill, offenders may be required to undertake community service for not more than eight hours a day instead of serving time in prison.

A roundtable discussion was held during the meeting, allowing stakeholders to share their views and contribute to the ongoing deliberations.

The Chairman of the Committee, James Agalga, and the Ranking Member, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, both called for the bill to be fast-tracked.

They stressed the need to ensure that its implementation does not create an additional financial burden on the state.

The Committee is expected to continue its sittings until Friday, April 17, 2026, as it works towards finalising its recommendations on the bill.