By: Rachel Kakraba
The Prison Ministry of Ghana, a not-for-profit Christian organisation dedicated to promoting the welfare and rehabilitation of prison inmates, is expanding its interventions initiatives with the Halfway Home Project. The agriculture-based initiative seeks to equip inmates with practical skills and support their reintegration into society, leveraging agriculture as a key resource and source of livelihood. Mr. Akumfi Ameyaw Buanya, the Executive Director, Prison Ministry of Ghana, made this known during the Ordinary Board of Trustees Meeting, of the Prison Ministry of Ghana in Accra on Wednesday September, 2, 2026.
About Prison Ministry of Ghana
The Prison Ministry of Ghana was established in 1993 and registered under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 922). The Ministry was founded by the major Protestant and Charismatic churches in Ghana, as well as the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI, Gateway Chapter. Its mission is to visit prisoners, help with spiritual and physical needs, rehabilitate, restore their dignity and empower them to become productive members of society.
It has also contributed significantly to improving healthcare delivery within the country’s prison system. One of the notable achievements is the rehabilitation of a clinic at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, which was initially run by the Prison Ministry of Ghana.
It has also performed more than 65 surgeries for inmates.
Benefit of Halfway Home Project
Mr. Akumfi Ameyaw Buanya, the Executive Director, Prison Ministry of Ghana, said while the government continues to provide essential support to inmates, life after serving sentences remains a challenge. He said that the Halfway Home Project when supported will be a game changer.
“Central government has come in largely to support feeding and medical care. But there is a huge gap as to how they are treated when they exit prisons. So we have a lot of people going back to what we term recidivism. The rate has been put at up to about 20% which is huge”
Adding on “if we are unable to get them to stay within the confines of the law when they are discharged, we are all doomed. So that is a new field, and we need support for it”
Mr. Buanya, said the organisation has acres of farmland across the country, which with the necessary support, could be developed to sustain the programme. He therefore appealed to benevolent organizations, individuals and philanthropists to support.
“We currently have about 100 acres, about 30 percent cultivated around Akuse with various crops, maize, pepper, and other vegetables, and some cash crops”
“We have a much larger allotment of land at Zebila in the Upper East Region, 648 acres which will also be developed into a larger halfway home for the Northern part of Ghana. And we have a smaller portion, about 21 acres, at Takoradi for a similar purpose”
School outreaches
Mr. Buanya, said the organization’s intervention also extends beyond the prison walls, with outreaches in schools and colleges to educate students about lifestyles and behaviours that could potentially lead to offending.
“We have extended what we are doing into schools and colleges. So now we actively visit schools and colleges to sensitize the students as to the lifestyles that can lead them into conflict with the law because prison is nobody’s bedroom, I still get the chills when I have to enter the cells”
He encouraged churches to be effective in influencing behavioural change among its members.
Appeal for support
Mr. Buanya, noted that prisoners are among the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society and therefore deserve compassion, dignity and opportunities for rehabilitation.
He therefore urged the public to demonstrate kindness to inmates and contribute in whatever way they can to improve their welfare and support their reintegration into society.
“We request people who are touched by the need to show a bit of kindness, a bit of charity to the lesser privileged, to the prisoner”
“We need a lot of Bibles, Bibles have become very expensive nowadays. But we aim that before each prisoner leaves the prison, he or she must have a Bible of their own, Mr. Buanya stated.
He said prisons run educational systems to university level which would require support in purchasing stationery. He also appealed for accommodation support for inmates who complete their prison sentences before finishing their studies.
“We need support for those who are in there and have to go for courses outside the prisons. If that person is in prison, but the term has ended, but is undergoing a course, say, at ATTC, and he’s left with one year, we think it would be a waste of money and time to allow him to go. So we need support to find accommodation for such a person here in Accra or even in Kumasi”
Ex-inmate shares experience
An ex-inmate, Richard Nyarko, speaking to GBCGhanaOnline, expressed appreciation to the Prison Ministry Ghana and other partners for the impact they have had on his life.
“It was the Prison Ministry that preached the gospel to me for the first time in prison. I was born again through the Prison Ministry visit to the Nsawam Prison. I thought there was no hope because I was given 35 years to serve. I didn’t know that I would have a chance of coming out. But upon hearing the gospel that was preached and the testimony, it really touched my life positively”
He added “I would like to thank the Prison Ministry of Ghana, the Executive Director, the Board of Trustees and all the staff that are working in the Prison Ministry of Ghana for their immense contributions towards my life and the positive impact I receive from them”
Mr. Nyarko urged the public, particularly the youth, to lead responsible lifestyles and avoid actions that could land them in prison.
“In fact, don’t go to prison. If I say don’t go to prison, it means avoid crime, avoid anything that is crime”
Appeal towards Christmas party
The Prison Ministry of Ghana is also appealing for support as it prepares to organize its annual Christmas celebration for inmates across the country. The initiative it says involves preparing and serving home-cooked meals and drinks to the more than 15,000 inmates, while also providing provisions, clothing and other essential items.
