Prisoners Feeding Fee Now GH¢5, Up From GH¢1.80

The government has approved an increase in the daily feeding fee for prisoners from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5, fifteen years after the rate was last reviewed.

The Minister for the Interior, Mr Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, disclosed this when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.

He said the new rate would be captured in the 2026 Budget, following presidential approval, with GH¢10 million expected to be released to cover the last quarter of this year.

Members of the committee described the current GH¢1.80 allocation, which has remained unchanged since 2010, as inadequate for providing three meals a day to inmates.

Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, briefed the committee on the adverse effects of the substandard feeding arrangement on the health and general wellbeing of prisoners.

Mr. Sebastian Fred Deh, a member of the committee, drew parallels between the figure and the GH¢2.50 per child per day allocated under the school feeding programme, underscoring the fact that this situation contravenes the Mandela Rules, which stipulate the provision of adequate sustenance for prisoners.

He urged the government to expedite the release of the approved funds to alleviate the strain on the prison system.

Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie explained that the Ghana Prisons Service has been enhancing rations with produce from gardens, fish ponds, and poultry projects across various facilities, as well as occasional support from churches.

She warned that food shortages remain the primary cause of unrest in prisons and stressed that upgrading rations is necessary to maintain order and safeguard prison officers.

She added that while the new GH¢5 rate has been approved, the Service will continue to lobby for a further increase during the 2026 fiscal year to reflect the actual cost of feeding adults in custody.