63 prison graduates unable to do national service over inability to acquire Ghana card

Inmates of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison who recently earned degrees from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have hit a bureaucratic wall—none of them can begin their mandatory national service due to their inability to acquire Ghana Cards.

The revelation was made during a visit by Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights to the prison on Monday, where one of the 63 affected inmates, incarcerated for 13 years, appealed to the committee for urgent intervention.

The Ghana Card, issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA), is a prerequisite for national service registration. However, prison authorities say the NIA has indicated that only children are currently eligible for registration, with no clear timeline provided for including adult inmates.

The Eastern Regional Commander and Officer-in-Charge of the facility, Deputy Director of Prisons Patrick Thomas Seidu, confirmed the situation, adding that repeated attempts to facilitate inmate registration had yielded no concrete response.

The committee’s visit, led by Chairman and MP for Kumawu, Ernest Yaw Anim, aimed to assess human rights conditions and identify challenges facing inmates and the facility.

Overcrowding and Underfunding Plague the Prison

DDP Seidu painted a bleak picture of life behind bars at Nsawam. Originally built to house just 717 inmates, the prison now holds a staggering 3,548 individuals. Dormitories meant for 20 now shelter over 430.

Worsening the crisis, the daily feeding grant per inmate remains fixed at GH¢1.80—unchanged since 2011. Mr. Anim, comparing the situation to the School Feeding Programme, criticized the inadequacy of meals and urged the government to swiftly revise the rate.

In addition to overcrowding and poor nutrition, the facility grapples with logistical woes: most vehicles are broken down, GH¢200,000 in debt is owed to medical suppliers, and the prison is behind on payments of over GH¢500,000 to the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Lack of access to legal aid and absence of basic screening tools like visitor scanners further highlight the institution's deteriorating conditions.

Calls for Amnesty and Reform

Madina MP and human rights lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu, who was part of the visiting delegation, called for presidential clemency for long-term inmates, some of whom have been incarcerated since 1979.

With Ghana having officially abolished the death penalty, Mr. Sosu urged President Mahama to consider commuting lingering death sentences to fixed terms, such as 25 years, in alignment with the principles of equality under Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution.

He also announced plans by the committee to petition both the president and the attorney general for a comprehensive review of such cases and systemic reforms.

Chairman Anim assured the prison leadership that the issues raised would be forwarded to Parliament for urgent attention, stressing that every inmate has a right to health, dignity, and rehabilitation.