Member of Parliament for Madina, Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu, is calling on President John Dramani Mahama to grant amnesty to some death row inmates at Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
This follows a visit by Parliament’s Human Rights Committee to the prison’s condemned block, where 173 inmates are currently on death row.
The MPs witnessed emotional pleas for mercy from the inmates, many of whom have been there for over a decade.
Hon. Sosu, a human rights lawyer, described the situation as unjust. He noted that while recent legal reforms allow murder convicts to be sentenced directly to life imprisonment, older cases remain under the outdated death penalty regime.
He urged the President to consider commuting these sentences to fixed terms, such as 25 years.
The prison, originally built to house 717 people, now holds over 3,000—more than four times its capacity. Prison officials raised concerns about overcrowding and the challenges it poses.
The Committee plans to submit a formal petition to the President and Attorney General, seeking a fair and humane resolution in line with Ghana’s Constitution and human rights commitments.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com