Interior Minister Muntaka Calls for
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has raised concerns over the use of remand procedures by police and courts in Ghana.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, May 28, he said bail conditions in some cases are set at levels that accused persons find difficult to meet.
Mr. Muntaka told Parliament that the passage of the Community Service Bill could help reduce reliance on remand, ease overcrowding in prisons and police cells, and improve conditions for inmates.
He said he is working with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, on a constitutional amendment to make remand more restrictive. According to him, the amendment seeks to ensure remand is applied only when necessary.
“The amendment we are working on will make remand more restrictive, because at the moment it is applied too broadly. In some cases, bail conditions are also set at levels people cannot meet,” he said.
He added that reforms to remand, bail conditions, and the Community Service Bill working together could help decongest prisons and improve conditions for those in custody.
The minister also disclosed that the government spends about GH¢40 million annually on feeding prison inmates, an amount he described as inadequate for current needs.
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