Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, the Minister of the Interior, has urged Parliament to enact a parole law to supplement the Community Service Bill, 2026, claiming it is crucial to accomplishing the objective of reducing prison overcrowding.
He stated that without a legislative basis for parole, the proposed measure would stay unfinished.
“This Community Service Bill, if passed into law, will still remain incomplete if we are not able to get the parole regulation passed. That is what will complement the bill and help us decongest our prisons effectively,” he explained.
By proposing non-custodial sentencing for small offences, the law aims to modernise the criminal justice system. Additionally, it calls for the creation of a National Community Service Secretariat.
The comments were made by Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak during the discussion of the Defence and Interior Committee’s report on the bill, which was given to Parliament by Mr. James Agalga, the committee chairman.
He revealed that the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice were collaborating with the Ministry of the Interior to complete the proposed parole legislation, which would shortly be presented to Parliament.
In the ongoing constitutional revision process, the Interior Minister also demanded more stringent regulations on police remand, claiming that the system was frequently misused.
He said that the government wants constitutional changes to reduce needless remand, saying, “With the least provocation, they say they’ve remanded somebody. Sometimes they impose bail conditions people cannot meet.”
Regarding funding, he clarified that the bill’s execution would be supported by 5% of the District Assemblies Common Fund, of which 25% would go to the planned National Community Service Secretariat.
He added that under the proposed law, criminals serving sentences of three years or less could be eligible for community service.
Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, called on the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to back the project, pointing out that community service may supply labour for district-level infrastructure projects, weeding, and cleanliness.
Source: newsthemegh.com