The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, has received the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior in Accra for discussions on the proposed Community Service Bill aimed at reforming Ghana’s criminal justice system.

The engagement focused on efforts to introduce community service as an alternative to custodial sentences for minor offences, with the aim of reducing prison overcrowding and promoting rehabilitation.

The Minister explained that Ghana’s prisons are currently operating at about 35 percent above capacity, a situation the proposed legislation seeks to address through non-custodial sentencing options.

The bill, which is structured around seven thematic areas and 66 sections, provides a framework for implementation, including provisions for offenders to undertake community service for between four to eight hours daily for a period of up to six months. It applies to offences punishable by imprisonment of three years or less.

The Interior Minister described the bill as a “practical, humane and cost-effective” approach to justice delivery that balances punishment with rehabilitation while easing pressure on correctional facilities.

The Chairman of the Select Committee, James Agalga, commended the initiative, noting that the concept of community service has evolved significantly and could help address long-standing challenges in the prison system once passed into law.

The proposed legislation is expected to strengthen community participation in justice delivery and promote a shift in Ghana’s criminal justice approach toward rehabilitation rather than incarceration.