News
Plight of inmates at Kumasi Central Prisons Banku, ‘Keta school boys’ soup served daily

Published
4 months agoon

The consumption of rice as a staple food may be very common in many homes, but this is not so at the Kumasi Central Prisons where inmates enjoy the staple once in a year, specifically during the Christmas festivities.
For the inmates, their daily bread has been ‘banku and keta schoolboys’ soup.
According to the Deputy Director of Prisons, James B. Mwinyelle, the Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons and Officer in- charge of the Kumasi Central Prisons, serving inmates rice would require a total of 16 bags of the 50kg rice bags.
Speaking to The Spectator, he said though gari was a good alternative, it remains expensive for the Prisons authority for the large number of the inmates.
“The authorities cannot even afford gari let alone beans to serve as proteins, so we rely on ‘Keta school boys’ as a source of protein.”
“Rice is expensive; the authority cannot afford it for this number of inmates we are dealing with. It is reason why we may be considering rice for them at Christmas,” he noted.
According to the Regional Commander, the increasing number of inmates was a serious concern for the authorities.
Constructed in 1901 and expanded in 1935 to accommodate 500 inmates, the facility now houses 1,627 inmates with 1,214 being convicts and 230 offenders on remand with 82 being on trial.
“Feeding this number of inmates with a feeding grant of Gh¢1.80 per inmate a day to prepare food is a huge burden on the authorities,” he stated.
He said the poor feeding regime was creating a serious health issues for the inmates, two of whom have lost their lives.
The Deputy Director of Prisons further indicated that the poor feeding coupled with congestion and lack of space for exercise among the inmates needed urgent attention to protect them and thereby reduce the high cost of medical treatment which had become a great burden to the authority.
Bathing soap for the inmates, he mentioned, was a big headache for the authority as about Gh¢8,000.00 was needed every month to purchase carbolic soap for each inmate which would not last for two weeks.
He pointed out that it was important for the state to have a second look at the state of affairs of the prisons in the country and come out with urgent measures to address the situation.
He called for a review of the feeding grant and consider the Prisons proposal of between Gh¢7.00 and Gh¢10.00 for each inmate per day.
The Regional Commander also mentioned that the Kumasi Central Prisons had taken up serious vegetable farming to help with the feeding of the inmates.
He urged the public to come to the aid of the inmates, saying that the prisons was part of society and must be seen as such in order to avoid a situation where the place would be a harbinger for radicalisation.
The issue of the feeding grant has come at a time the Minister designate for Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has raised serious concerns about the deplorable state of Ghana’s prisons, particularly regarding the inadequate budget allocated for feeding inmates.
Speaking during his vetting before the parliamentary appointments committee on Friday January 24, Muntaka pledged to prioritise prison reforms if his nomination was approved.
The Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) lamented that the G¢1.80 daily feeding budget per prisoner, describing it as grossly insufficient and inhumane
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
You may like
60 beekeepers trained in Volta, Oti regions
Dagbon bows in majesty to bid farewell to Late Mion Lana
GTA official honoured for outstanding support to TOUGHA
Naomi Ohene Oti makes Ghana proud …wins $250,000 Global Nursing Award in Dubai
Plan child birth to protect mother, child-UNFPA country rep
Address systematic issues surrounding juvenile correction — Child Rights Advocate

Sixty beekeepers from the Volta and Oti regions have undergone a day’s capacity training in Ho to enhance their skills in improved way of harvesting honey.
The training which was organised by VORAB Project International, a non-governmental organisation with funding from UNDP Global Environment Facility, seeks to school participants on the requisite knowledge on how to use modern equipment to enhance their work.
They were taken through hygienic ways of harvesting honey, guidelines of quality product, packaging and customer care.
Mr Devine Okoe Odonkor, Executive Director of VORAB Project International, noted that the NGO has been part of the beekeeping development effort in the Volta and Oti regions.
Therefore we are desirous of putting our expertise at the disposal of the district assemblies to develop the beekeeping industry as a sustainable nature conservation and sustainable employment unit of the assemblies.
However, degradation of the natural environment due to primary production activities such as farming, sand winning and charcoal production have been alarming.
“We need to take advantage of a lot of benevolence for humanity, pollination for forest and farm crops production bee products for food, medicine for these priceless gifts from bees.
Toured Amaglo, Customer Service Officer of the Forestry Commission in his remarks said we need to promote the establishment of one bee farm per district in the Volta and Oti regions as an integrated socio-economic and natural environment management unit of the assemblies.
He said despite financial challenges within the region, VORAB had demonstrated appreciable efforts in making sure education gets to many more people in the communities.
He advised more youth to be ready to learn beekeeping and apply the various entrepreneurial skills that would be provided.
From Kafui Gati, Ho
Sixty beekeepers from the Volta and Oti regions have undergone a day’s capacity training in Ho to enhance their skills in improved way of harvesting honey.
The training which was organised by VORAB Project International, a non-governmental organisation with funding from UNDP Global Environment Facility, seeks to school participants on the requisite knowledge on how to use modern equipment to enhance their work.
They were taken through hygienic ways of harvesting honey, guidelines of quality product, packaging and customer care.
Mr Devine Okoe Odonkor, Executive Director of VORAB Project International, noted that the NGO has been part of the beekeeping development effort in the Volta and Oti regions.
Therefore we are desirous of putting our expertise at the disposal of the district assemblies to develop the beekeeping industry as a sustainable nature conservation and sustainable employment unit of the assemblies.
However, degradation of the natural environment due to primary production activities such as farming, sand winning and charcoal production have been alarming.
“We need to take advantage of a lot of benevolence for humanity, pollination for forest and farm crops production bee products for food, medicine for these priceless gifts from bees.
Toured Amaglo, Customer Service Officer of the Forestry Commission in his remarks said we need to promote the establishment of one bee farm per district in the Volta and Oti regions as an integrated socio-economic and natural environment management unit of the assemblies.
He said despite financial challenges within the region, VORAB had demonstrated appreciable efforts in making sure education gets to many more people in the communities.
He advised more youth to be ready to learn beekeeping and apply the various entrepreneurial skills that would be provided.

Sambu, the ancestral heartland of the Mion Traditional Area, has become a river of royal memory and cultural splendor as Dagbon bids farewell to one of its most revered sons, the late Mion Lana, Nyab Abdulai Mahamudu, in a grand spectacle of tradition, reverence, and unity.
For a week now, the town has pulsed with a sacred rhythm resounding with ancestral drumming, soul-stirring dirges, ceremonial dances, and the thunderous salute of muskets.
The air is thick with incense and history, as Dagbon’s ancient customs unfurl in a symphony of grief and grandeur.


At the centre of it all stands the enduring spirit of the Mion Lana “The Peacemaker of Dagbon” whose final funeral rite, culminated in a historic durbar, drawing chiefs, royals, politicians, and mourners.
All have gathered in Sambu not merely to mourn, but to celebrate a life that bridged tradition and transformation.
Nyab Abdulai Mahamudu was enskinned as Bolin-Lana at the tender age of 14, following the death of his father, the late Ya-Na Mahamadu IV.
For over three decades, he waited in the wings of tradition, observing sacred protocols and enduring royal seclusion until March 3, 2019, when he was enskinned as Mion Lana, one of the most powerful positions within the Dagbon Kingdom and a direct heir to the revered Ya-Na throne. Yet his reign, though brief, was profoundly impactful.
With a voice firm in wisdom and a heart anchored in peace, the Mion Lana became a cornerstone in healing the fractured legacy of Dagbon’s past.
In 2019, his public endorsement of Ya-Na Abukari II symbolised the dawn of a new era—one of reconciliation, renewal, and shared destiny.
He was more than a royal figure; he was a visionary. Under his leadership, the Mion Traditional Area witnessed a surge in youth engagement, education reform, and community development.
His “Back to School” campaigns reignited hope for thousands of young people. Through partnerships with organisations like the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), he oversaw the construction of new classroom blocks and championed the drilling of over 15 mechanised boreholes, bringing clean water to remote communities.



In every action, the Mion Lana embodied a rare fusion of tradition and progress of ancient authority and modern compassion.
The final rites spearheaded by the elders of the Abudu Royal Gate and the Mion Traditional Council are as much a cultural renewal as they are a farewell.

Mr Kofi Atta Kakra Kusi, Deputy Director in charge of Corporate Affairs at the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has been honoured for his exceptional contributions to the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA).
The honour was conferred by Mrs Alisa Osei-Asamoah, the immediate past president of TOUGHA, during a thanksgiving dinner she hosted to mark the end of her four-year leadership of the Union.
Mr Kusi received a citation acknowledging his pivotal role in enhancing TOUGHA’s visibility and fostering strategic partnerships during her tenure.
“Through your expertise and extensive media connections, you have significantly amplified TOUGHA’s visibility and highlighted our efforts across the industry. Your strategic media guidance has been instrumental in shaping positive narratives about our work,” the citation read.
It continued, “Beyond media support, your role as Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs at the Ghana Tourism Authority has been crucial in strengthening TOUGHA’s collaboration with key institutions. Your counsel, professionalism, and unwavering commitment have been a pillar not only to me personally, but to the entire union.”
Mr Kusi’s professional journey reflects a blend of academic excellence, industry experience, and dedication to national development.
A proud alumnus of Prempeh College, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ghana, Legon, before obtaining a Master of Arts in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (now UNIMAC-GIJ) in 2020.
He further pursued an MBA in Marketing at the Methodist University College Ghana, graduating in 2022. He also holds a Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality Management from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

60 beekeepers trained in Volta, Oti regions

Dagbon bows in majesty to bid farewell to Late Mion Lana

GTA official honoured for outstanding support to TOUGHA
Trending
- Politics9 months ago
Voter Register Discrepancies: NDC to stage nationwide protests against EC
- News10 months ago
Arise Royals Montessori School Marks 2nd Graduation.
- News6 months ago
King of Igbo Community in Ghana congratulates Mahama as President-elect of Ghana.
- Entertainment11 months ago
Ghanaian musician Champions Gaza Peace with New Track
- More10 months ago
Young people urged to develop their talents
- News11 months ago
Cancer Support Network Foundation holds gala
- Entertainment11 months ago
Steps to receive an official GWR certificate – Details from mother of a Ghanaian record holder
- Women & Children10 months ago
Plan International Ghana Celebrates Milestone in Women’s Empowerment