Muntaka Calls for Tougher Restrictions on Remand Practices and Harsh Bail Conditions

By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada

Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has raised concerns over what he describes as the excessive use of remand orders and unrealistic bail conditions within Ghana’s justice system.

Speaking in Parliament, the minister argued that both police authorities and sections of the judiciary are overusing remand procedures in ways that undermine fairness and contribute to overcrowding in prisons.

“I’ve been working with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, on the constitutional amendment that is currently ongoing, that we should make remand very restrictive because currently it is massively abused. With the least provocation, they say they’ve remanded somebody. You go to the police, and they remand people anyhow,” he said.

Mr Muntaka further criticised the nature of some bail terms imposed by courts, stating that many accused persons are unable to satisfy the conditions required for release.

“Sometimes they give terrible bail conditions that people are not able to meet,” he added.

According to the minister, ongoing constitutional reforms alongside the proposed Community Service Bill could help reduce dependence on custodial remand and decongest correctional facilities across the country.

He also disclosed that approximately GH¢40 million is spent annually on feeding inmates in Ghana’s prisons, an amount he described as inadequate.

Commentary | Boakye Stephen

The minister’s remarks reopen a long-standing national debate about criminal justice reform in Ghana. Concerns about prolonged remand periods, overcrowded prisons and inaccessible bail conditions have repeatedly been raised by legal experts and human rights advocates. If constitutional amendments are implemented, they could significantly reshape detention practices and strengthen protections for accused persons awaiting trial.