Former Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah has described Parliament’s passage of the Community Service Bill, 2026, as a significant milestone in Ghana’s criminal justice reforms, saying the new law will help reduce prison overcrowding and offer alternative sentencing for minor offences.
Speaking in an interview with the media in Sunyani, Mr. Tuah-Yeboah welcomed the legislation, which introduces community service as a non-custodial sentence for persons convicted of specified minor offences.
He said the enactment of the law marked an important step towards a more balanced and rehabilitative justice system, reducing the country’s dependence on imprisonment for less serious offences.
While commending the current Parliament for passing the Bill on Thursday, July 8, 2026, Mr. Tuah-Yeboah also credited the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for laying the groundwork for the legislation.
According to him, the former government undertook extensive consultations and public education on the proposed law but was unable to secure its passage before leaving office due to parliamentary delays.
The Community Service Bill was formally introduced to Parliament by the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, on March 4, 2026, in accordance with Article 106(1) of the 1992 Constitution. It was subsequently referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior for scrutiny before being approved by the House.
The new law establishes a legal and institutional framework for implementing community service as an alternative sentencing option, giving courts greater flexibility when dealing with offenders convicted of minor offences.
Mr. Tuah-Yeboah expressed optimism that the legislation would ease pressure on Ghana’s prison system while promoting rehabilitation and reintegration, rather than incarceration, for eligible offenders.
He noted that the introduction of community service aligns with modern criminal justice practices aimed at ensuring punishment is proportionate, constructive and beneficial to both offenders and society.
