In a historic landmark decision, Ghana’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty.
The move by parliament adds Ghana to the ranks of progressive African nations that have recently repealed capital punishment.
According to the Ghana Prisons Service, no executions have been carried out in Ghana since 1993, but a staggering 176 individuals remained on death row in 2022.
Crime Check Foundation (CCF), Amnesty International, and some other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been advocating for the abolishment of the death penalty to consolidate Ghana’s democratic credentials.
The revolutionary bill will amend the Criminal Offences Act, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment, as outlined in a comprehensive parliamentary committee report.
Francis Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament for the Madina constituency who championed the bill, hailed the monumental achievement. “This is a tremendous advancement for Ghana’s human rights record,” he said.
He indicated that extensive research, including constitutional review and opinion polls, revealed that the majority of Ghanaians were in favor of abolishing the death penalty.
The enactment of the law will come into full force after President Akufo-Addo assents to the bill.
Ghana will become the 29th African nation in Africa and the 124th in the world to abolish capital punishment after the President’s assent.
This shows Ghana’s commitment to promoting a more just and humane society, where human rights are valued and protected.
