Entertainment executive Bullgod has challenged former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to use some of his personal resources to help reduce overcrowding at Nsawam Prison and support plans to establish a prison farm.
Bullgod said Wontumi should begin implementing aspects of his proposed prison reforms that do not require changes to the law, while continuing to lobby Parliament for broader reforms.
Speaking on the Classy Morning Show on Class 91.3 FM, hosted by DJ Slim, he argued that Wontumi had the financial means to support practical interventions within the prison system.
“He is not poor, right? So he should start the things he can do on his own and start pushing and advocating for parliamentary ratification,” Bullgod said.
He specifically encouraged Wontumi to invest in the proposed prison agriculture initiative, which forms part of the former NPP regional chairman’s recommendations for improving conditions in Ghana’s correctional facilities.
“If you have some money, put it into the plantation idea you have,” Bullgod urged.
He went on to make a controversial remark about allegations surrounding Wontumi’s wealth, saying: “That man (Wontumi) has money. I’m sure that the money that he is said to have allegedly stolen, maybe God wants him to use it for such job where he is.”
The comment was framed as an allegation, not an established finding of theft.
Bullgod also highlighted the scale of overcrowding at Nsawam Prison, claiming that a facility originally built to accommodate about 800 people now houses close to 4,000 inmates.
He argued that support for farming and additional infrastructure could help address some of the challenges facing the prison authorities.
Beyond the proposed farm, Bullgod expressed strong support for Wontumi’s broader reform agenda, particularly his call for regulated conjugal visits for inmates. He noted, however, that such a policy would require legal changes.
“For the conjugal part, he would need Parliament. He has to go through the laws,” he said.
Bullgod added that Wontumi’s experience in prison had allowed him to witness some of the system’s challenges firsthand and that he should use his resources and influence to help address them.
Wontumi outlines 12 prison reform proposals
Wontumi, through his spokesperson, Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has proposed 12 areas of reform for Ghana’s prison system. The proposals were outlined in a statement issued on October 27, 2026, with an emphasis on rehabilitation, inmate welfare and productive activities alongside punishment.
The proposals include establishing a dedicated prison hospital equipped with ambulances and standby generators, improving the welfare and working conditions of prison officers, and separating inmates according to the seriousness of their offences.
He also called for counselling and behavioural support for young inmates, regulated family and conjugal visits, and better accommodation to address overcrowding and the spread of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis.
Another proposal seeks clear guidelines for the classification and management of LGBTQI+ inmates within the prison system.
On agriculture, Wontumi wants prison farms to receive better equipment and machinery. His statement claims that the Prisons Service has access to extensive land and skilled labour but relies on only one tractor for farming and garbage-related activities.
He also proposed involving regional prison commanders in justice-sector discussions, arguing that their experience could contribute to rehabilitation and reintegration after sentencing.
Other recommendations include modernising correctional facilities and establishing factories to support productive activities, as well as securing parliamentary backing and funding for healthcare, emergency services and agricultural equipment.
Wontumi further called for relevant parliamentary committees to visit prisons and assess conditions, while encouraging other African countries to reconsider their approach to prison management.
Bullgod’s comments add to the debate over how the proposals could be implemented, with his central argument being that Wontumi should use the resources available to him to support immediate interventions while pursuing reforms that require parliamentary approval.
