Stories and facts

The Ghana Prisons Service, operating under the Ministry of the Interior, manages the custody, welfare, and rehabilitation of inmates across 49 prison facilities.

Led by the Director-General and overseen by the Prisons Service Council, it runs various types of prisons including Central, Local, Open Camp, and Agricultural Settlement Prisons.

These institutions house between 11,000 and 14,000 prisoners, with women comprising about 2% of inmates, and are staffed by over 6,000 officers.

Despite efforts to reform and train inmates for reintegration, the service faces major challenges such as inadequate funding, overcrowding, outdated facilities, poor sanitation, and limited public support for ex-prisoners.

Human rights concerns, including inhumane living conditions, have been highlighted by the UN. Training for prison officers is conducted at the Prisons Service Training School, which has operated since 1947.

A UNDP initiative is currently supporting reforms focused on improving human rights standards, including upgrading juvenile facilities.

Explore the lists of government agencies below.