‘We still have feelings’ — Wontumi proposes conjugal visit facilities for married prisoners

Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has reportedly called on Ghana’s prison authorities to consider introducing facilities that would allow married inmates to spend private, intimate time with their spouses during scheduled visits.

The proposal was disclosed by broadcast journalist Kwame Tanko of Lawson Media following a visit to the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Nsawam Medium Security Prison, where Wontumi is serving a prison sentence.

According to reports of the conversation, Wontumi argued that incarceration does not eliminate the emotional and biological needs of prisoners. He reportedly urged the authorities to consider designated hostels or private cabins where married inmates could meet their spouses under regulated conditions.

The central argument attributed to him was that prisoners remain human beings with natural feelings and that their marital relationships should not be entirely disregarded because they are serving sentences.

Wontumi also reportedly suggested that Ghana could learn from jurisdictions that permit conjugal visits as part of their prison management and rehabilitation arrangements.

Conjugal visits generally involve allowing eligible inmates to spend private time with their spouses or partners in designated facilities within a correctional institution. Depending on the jurisdiction, such arrangements may be subject to eligibility requirements, security checks, restrictions on frequency and other conditions.

Wontumi reportedly linked his proposal to concerns about alleged same-sex sexual activity within prisons, suggesting that providing married inmates with opportunities to maintain intimacy with their spouses could help address the issue. However, this argument was presented as part of his reported views and does not establish the prevalence or causes of such activity in Ghanaian prisons.

The proposal raises broader questions about prisoner welfare, family relationships, rehabilitation and the practical challenges of managing correctional facilities. Supporters of regulated conjugal visits in jurisdictions where they exist often point to the potential benefits of maintaining family connections, while implementation can raise concerns involving security, privacy, staffing, costs and equal access for eligible inmates.

Ghana’s standard prison visitation arrangements do not currently include conjugal visits. Introducing such a system would therefore require policy consideration by the relevant authorities, alongside an assessment of the legal framework, security requirements and operational resources needed to administer it.

Any proposed system would also need clear eligibility criteria, safeguards against coercion and abuse, and transparent procedures to ensure that access is managed fairly.

Wontumi’s reported comments have brought renewed attention to the conditions under which inmates maintain relationships with their spouses while serving prison sentences.

Whether the proposal will receive consideration from the Ghana Prisons Service or the government remains unclear. For now, it is a reported suggestion that would require further discussion before any policy change could be implemented.

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