Wa Central Prison inmates released under President Mahama’s 2026 amnesty

A discharge ceremony held at Wa Central Prison on October 23, 2026, marked the release of first-offender inmates under a presidential amnesty granted by President John Dramani Mahama. While 13 inmates were approved for pardon under Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution, only three were physically released during the event.

Upper West Regional Prisons Commander DDP Alhaji Ousmane Tasembedo explained that the remaining ten beneficiaries had already been released through Ghana’s standard one-third sentence discharge rule before the amnesty paperwork arrived. This delay highlighted administrative challenges in the transition of presidential directives from national headquarters to regional facilities.

The amnesty program is a nationwide initiative designed to reduce prison congestion and support the reintegration of qualifying offenders. Among those approved, some beneficiaries have acquired vocational skills in tailoring and smock sewing, for which they will receive start-up materials to assist their transition back into society.