President John Dramani Mahama says government has allocated GH¢100 million in the 2027 Budget to complete the abandoned remand prison block at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, so that people awaiting trial are no longer held together with convicted inmates.
The President made the announcement on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the second induction service of Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam as General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, in Accra.
“I am happy to say that we will complete it next year,” Mr Mahama said, adding that construction of the facility began under his previous administration but stalled after he left office.
The pledge comes ahead of the presentation of the 2027 Budget and adds to a string of spending commitments the President has announced in recent weeks, including US$2bn a year for industry at the Afienya Industrial Park sod-cutting.
GH¢100m set aside for Nsawam remand prison block
According to the President, the GH¢100 million will be used to finish the remand block at Nsawam, which will house remand prisoners separately from people serving sentences.
Remand prisoners are people who have been charged and are awaiting trial but have not been convicted of any offence.
Why Mahama wants remand prisoners separated from convicts
Mr Mahama said it was wrong to keep people who are still presumed innocent in the same conditions as convicted criminals.
“Remand prisoners have not been convicted, so they are not criminals,” he said. He added that putting “still innocent people with convicted people” is “not a good mix.”
He credited Rev. Wengam’s work on the Prisons Council, including the church-backed “Project Efiase” initiative, for drawing attention to the conditions of remand prisoners and the need to protect their dignity.
Nsawam remand prison project: then and now
- Location: Nsawam Medium Security Prison, Eastern Region
- Started: Under Mahama’s first administration (2012–2017)
- Status since 2017: Stalled/abandoned after the change of government, according to the President
- New allocation: GH¢100 million in the 2027 Budget
- Target completion: 2027
Mahama praises Assemblies of God at Wengam induction
At the same event, the President congratulated Rev. Wengam on his re-election for a second term as General Superintendent and praised his work on prisoner welfare and rehabilitation.
He also commended the Assemblies of God, Ghana, for its contributions to education, healthcare and community welfare, and asked the church to keep praying for government and offering constructive counsel.
Mr Mahama noted that the church had planted more than 2,000 churches and trained over 440 pastors in the past four years, and urged religious bodies to support young people through mentorship, apprenticeships and business guidance.
What the remand prison pledge means for inmates and families
For people held on remand, a separate facility would mean they are no longer mixed with convicted inmates while their cases are pending in court.
For families and rights advocates, the pledge is a sign that the long-standing concern over remand conditions is being addressed in the national budget. More information on Ghana’s prisons is available from the Ghana Prisons Service.
What happens next
The GH¢100 million allocation is expected to appear in the 2027 Budget Statement, which the Finance Minister will present to Parliament.
Once approved, work is expected to resume on the abandoned block, with the President targeting completion in 2027. Details such as the contractor and the facility’s capacity have not yet been announced.
Quick Summary: Mahama Commits GH¢100m in 2027 Budget to Complete Abandoned Nsawam Remand Prison Block
- President Mahama has committed GH¢100 million in the 2027 Budget to the Nsawam remand prison block.
- The facility will separate remand prisoners from convicted inmates.
- The project began under Mahama’s previous administration and was later abandoned.
- The President says it will be completed in 2027.
- The announcement was made on November 7, 2026, at Rev. Stephen Wengam’s induction in Accra.
- Mahama: “Remand prisoners have not been convicted, so they are not criminals.”
FAQs: Mahama Commits GH¢100m in 2027 Budget to Complete Abandoned Nsawam Remand Prison Block
How much has Mahama allocated for the Nsawam remand prison?
President Mahama says GH¢100 million has been set aside in the 2027 Budget to complete the abandoned remand prison block at Nsawam.
When will the Nsawam remand prison be completed?
The President said the project will be completed next year, in 2027.
What is a remand prisoner in Ghana?
A remand prisoner is a person held in custody while awaiting trial who has not been convicted of any offence.
The GH¢100 million commitment revives a stalled project aimed at separating people awaiting trial from convicted inmates at Nsawam, and its progress will depend on the 2027 Budget’s approval and release of funds next year.
