Prisoners feeding fee raised from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5

Government has announced an upward adjustment of the daily feeding allowance for inmates, moving it from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5. The decision marks the first review since 2010.

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

He indicated that the revised allocation, which has already received presidential approval, will be factored into the 2026 Budget. An initial GH¢10 million will be released to cover expenses for the last quarter of 2025.

Members of PAC described the long-standing GH¢1.80 rate as woefully inadequate, pointing out that it was unrealistic to provide three meals a day to inmates with such an amount.

Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, told the committee that poor rations compromise the health and general wellbeing of prisoners.

A member of PAC, Mr. Sebastian Fred Deh, compared the figure to the GH¢2.50 per child per day under the school feeding programme. 

He stressed that the situation breached the Mandela Rules, which mandate adequate nutrition for inmates, and urged government to release the approved funds without delay.

Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie further explained that the Prisons Service has been supplementing rations with produce from gardens, fish ponds, and poultry projects in various facilities, along with occasional support from churches.

She cautioned that food shortages remain the major cause of prison unrest and emphasized that improving rations is essential for maintaining order and safeguarding officers.

She added that even though the rate has now been increased to GH¢5, the Service will continue pressing for an additional adjustment during the 2026 fiscal year to reflect the true cost of feeding inmates.