President John Dramani Mahama has granted amnesty to 998 inmates across the country, following recommendations from the Prisons Service Council and consultations with the Council of State.
The decision, announced in a statement on Monday, August 18, 2025, was taken under Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which empowers the President to pardon prisoners or commute sentences.
Out of 1,014 convicts presented for consideration, 998 were approved for release or sentence reduction.
Breakdown of Beneficiaries
According to a statement signed by Minister of Government Communications and presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the beneficiaries fall under the following categories:
- First-time offenders: 787
- Death sentences commuted to life imprisonment: 87
- Life sentences commuted to 20 years definite term: 51
- Seriously ill inmates: 33
- Prisoners aged 70 and above (irrespective of offence): 36
- Nursing mothers: 2
- Special petitions granted: 2
The initiative is aimed at decongesting the country’s prisons while addressing humanitarian concerns for vulnerable groups, including the aged, the sick, and nursing mothers.
Presidential amnesty, a constitutionally backed measure, ensures that justice is balanced with compassion by offering deserving inmates a second chance at reintegration into society.
Below is the statement
