President John Dramani Mahama has granted amnesty to 998 prisoners across Ghana’s correctional facilities. The decision, announced on August 18, 2025, follows recommendations from the Prisons Service Council and consultations with the Council of State, in accordance with Article 72 (1) of the 1992 Constitution.
The presidential clemency covers a wide spectrum of inmates, reflecting both humanitarian considerations and a strategic effort to decongest the nation’s overcrowded prisons. Among the beneficiaries are 787 first-time offenders who will be released outright. Additionally, 87 inmates on death row will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, while 51 prisoners serving life sentences will now serve a definite 20-year term.
The amnesty also includes 33 seriously ill inmates, 36 elderly prisoners aged 70 and above, and two nursing mothers. Two additional inmates were granted clemency based on special petitions reviewed by the presidency.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Presidential Spokesperson and Minister for Government Communications, emphasized that the move aligns with Ghana’s commitment to justice tempered by compassion. Out of 1,014 names submitted for consideration, 998 were approved, underscoring the President’s careful and deliberate approach to the exercise.
Notably, high-profile inmates such as William Ato Essien, former CEO of Capital Bank, and Patricia Asiedu Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, were not included in the amnesty list. Their exclusion signals a firm stance on accountability, even as the government extends relief to vulnerable groups within the prison system.
This latest act of clemency continues President Mahama’s legacy of using constitutional provisions to address systemic challenges in Ghana’s justice system. It serves as a reminder that leadership, at its best, balances the rule of law with the moral imperative to show mercy.
