Parliament has passed the Community Service Bill, 2026 to introduce community service as an alternative to custodial sentences.
The bill was passed after the Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, moved the motion for its third reading on Wednesday.
It establishes administrative structures, including the National Community Service Secretariat, and provides for an electronic case-tracking and attendance system to monitor compliance.
The bill was first laid before Parliament by Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak in March this year for its first reading, in line with Article 106 (1) of the 1992 Constitution and advanced to the second reading in May after being referred to Parliament’s Committee on Defence and Interior for consideration and a report to the House.
The committee’s report was debated before legislators voted to adopt it.
According to the report, Ghana’s criminal justice system has traditionally relied heavily on custodial sentences as the primary form of punishment for convicted persons, a practice that has contributed to persistent prison overcrowding.
It noted that the situation has placed considerable strain on the Ghana Prison Service while increasing government expenditure on inmate maintenance, healthcare, feeding and prison infrastructure.
Some proposed clauses put forward by legislators, including the Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, were not carried, leading to heated debate between both sides of the House.
Following the passage of the bill, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak expressed appreciation to legislators for their contributions throughout the legislative process.
“Mr Speaker, this bill has bedevilled the Ministry and the country for a very long time and I am very happy that today this House has taken the opportunity to get it through the finish line,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak during the legislative process made a number of demands, including the introduction of a parole legislation, to help complement the bill that had been passed.
He also recently laid before Parliament a parole regulation in line with the demand he had earlier made on the floor of the House, which was expected to mature within a 21 days sitting period.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
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