Remand prisoner Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has called for clear policy direction on how the Ghana Prison Service classifies and manages LGBTQ+ inmates, as part of a wider appeal for prison reform.
The call is contained in a press statement dated October 27, 2026 and signed by his spokesperson, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah says he has visited Chairman Wontumi consistently since his remand on July 20, 2026, and is sharing his reflections on the state of the country’s prisons.
Under the heading “LGBTQI+ Management,” the statement says only that Chairman Wontumi wants a clear policy on classification.
It does not, however, say what form that policy should take.
The issue also appears in the statement’s section on youth, defilement and behavioural concerns.
It says most inmates held on defilement charges are young men aged 18 to 35.
According to Chairman Wontumi, prolonged incarceration without counselling leads some of them to engage in same-sex activity in prison.
He is calling for proper classification of inmates and for counselling services.
The statement did not offer any figures or data to support the observation.
The appeal comes against a sensitive legal backdrop. Same-sex relations are already a criminal offence in Ghana, punishable by up to three years in prison.
Parliament passed a bill in May 2026 criminalising homosexuality and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities, and introducing a duty to report prohibited acts to the police.
President John Dramani Mahama had not signed it into law, and religious leaders were pressing him to do so. Rights groups have criticised the bill.
Chairman Wontumi did not refer to the bill but called for a dedicated, well-equipped prison hospital, better pay and accommodation for prison officers, separation of minor offenders from armed robbery convicts, and the separation of inmates with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis from healthy inmates.
He further calls for a private area where spouses and children can visit prisoners.
The statement singles out Parliament as key to reform.
Chairman Wontumi appealed to the Speaker to lead the conversation, and to the Majority and Minority caucuses to work together to pass a new Prison Reform Act and approve funding for a prison hospital, ambulances, generators and farming equipment.
He also asks the Parliamentary Select Committees on Defence and Interior, Health, and Food and Agriculture to visit prisons and see conditions first-hand.
He further appeals to the Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Attorney General, Chief Justice and the Government to prioritise prison welfare.
The statement says Chairman Wontumi remains in high spirits.