President Mahama Grants Amnesty to 998 Prisoners Across Ghana

By Joylinda Laryea / 18 August, 2025

President John Dramani Mahama has granted amnesty to 998 prisoners across the country, following the recommendation of the Prisons Service Council and in consultation with the Council of State, in line with Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution.

The announcement, made on Monday, August 18, 2025, by the Presidency, revealed that the decision was part of ongoing efforts to decongest prisons and offer a second chance to deserving inmates.

Out of 1,014 inmates recommended for clemency, 998 were approved. The beneficiaries include:

787 first-time offenders

87 prisoners whose death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment

51 inmates whose life sentences have been reduced to 20 years definite term

33 seriously ill inmates

36 prisoners aged over 70, irrespective of their offences

2 nursing mothers

In addition, seven petitions for clemency were also granted.

Presidential Spokesperson and MP, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who conveyed the decision, said the amnesty reflects President Mahama’s commitment to justice tempered with compassion, ensuring that rehabilitation and reintegration remain central to Ghana’s criminal justice system.

The Ghana Prisons Service has welcomed the gesture, noting that it will help ease overcrowding in the country’s correctional facilities.