VIDEOS: Ashanti Regional Prison Commander Welcomes Increment in Inmates’ Feeding Rate

The Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons and Officer in Charge of the Kumasi Central Prison, Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Ing. James B. Mwinyelle, has lauded the government for increasing the daily feeding rate for prison inmates from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5.00, describing it as “a long-overdue and life-changing intervention.”

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Swiftnews3 in Kumasi on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, DDP Mwinyelle said the adjustment would make a remarkable difference in the quality and quantity of meals served to inmates, while also reducing health-related challenges in the country’s prisons.

“As prison officers, our mandate is safe custody and the welfare of inmates. Feeding is the number one issue of welfare, and once it is well taken care of, the cascading effect is positive — fewer illnesses and less agitation among the inmates,” he explained.

He emphasized that for years, the GH¢1.80 feeding rate had made it difficult to provide inmates with balanced and nutritious meals, forcing prison authorities to depend heavily on public donations.

“It has been very tough for us. Most days, the inmates survived on Banku and Gari, and we could only prepare rice meals when we had received enough donations to make up about sixteen 50kg bags. But now, with GH¢5.00, we can plan better,” he revealed.

According to DDP Mwinyelle, a new menu is being drafted to include rice, beans, groundnuts, and eggs at least once every month or fortnight to improve nutrition for the over 1,600 inmates at the Kumasi Central Prison.

He said the prison administration is also expanding its vegetable farm at Bekwai Roundabout to help cut food costs and enhance the nutritional value of meals.

“Our Director General, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, has directed that every prison establishment in Ghana should have a vegetable garden. We are expanding ours to produce cabbage and other vegetables so we can reserve a bigger portion of the GH¢5.00 for carbohydrates and proteins,” he stated.

DDP Mwinyelle expressed appreciation to the Interior Minister, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, and the Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service for their efforts in ensuring the increase was approved.

“From the very beginning, the Honourable Minister made it clear that he would turn a positive eye towards the Ghana Prisons Service. He said, and I quote, ‘we are orphans, but I will take you out of the orphanage.’ And indeed, we are beginning to see the light,” he noted, also commending Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene for his constant support to the prisons.

He further cautioned that most disturbances within prisons usually arise from poor feeding and overcrowding, adding that the new rate would help maintain calm and improve inmate welfare.

Think Prison 360 Initiative

Touching on the “Think Prison 360 Initiative,” recently launched by the Ghana Prisons Service, DDP Mwinyelle said it seeks to reposition the Service as a vital institution for rehabilitation and reintegration rather than punishment.

“The idea is that the prison is not a dumping ground. It is a reformation center, and when the state fails to invest in reforming inmates, it creates more danger for society when these same individuals return,” he stressed.

He appealed to relatives, friends, philanthropists, and the general public to continue supporting the Ghana Prisons Service through the initiative, saying collective involvement is key to sustaining the reform agenda.

“The increase in the feeding rate is a major step, and we are exceedingly grateful to the government. But as Oliver Twist, we will continue to ask for more — hopefully GH¢10.00 next year,” he concluded with optimism.

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