By: Kwame Bediako
Former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi has committed to dedicating his life to improving the welfare of prisoners in Ghana. His pledge was announced during the launch of the Prisons Football Project on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at Nsawam Medium Security Prison. The project aims to utilize the transformative power of sport to promote reform and facilitate the reintegration of inmates into society.
During the event, Nyantakyi and his team donated various sporting equipment, including footballs, jerseys, basketballs and volleyballs, to the Ghana Prisons Service. The initiative, in partnership with the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), emphasizes sport as a tool for rehabilitation, morale boosting, and social reintegration for prisoners. The project has garnered support from key stakeholders committed to reformative justice.
Mr Nyantakyi shared a personal story that inspired his commitment, recounting a visit to his brother, Alhaji Inusah, who was incarcerated in Wa. He explained how Inusah, a former football club chairman, ended up in prison after an accidental shooting during a land dispute.
Nyantakyi expressed his intention to help inmates like Inusah by engaging lawyers to reopen cases where legal representation was lacking, emphasizing that anyone could find themselves in similar circumstances.
The Prisons Football Project is set to serve as a platform for mental and physical well-being among inmates while fostering community spirit. By integrating sports into the correctional process, the initiative hopes to contribute significantly to the reform process, helping prisoners rebuild their lives and re-enter society as responsible individuals.
