As Ghana joins the global community to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty (10 October), our country stands on the brink of making history. We have made impressive strides toward ending capital punishment — but a few critical steps remain to complete the journey.

For years, Amnesty International Ghana and civil society partners have advocated for the total abolition of the death penalty. The push gained momentum after the 2010 Constitutional Review Commission recommended its removal.

Although constitutional reforms were delayed, advocacy efforts continued — engaging Parliament, the media, and citizens on the need for humane justice. In 2021, Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu introduced a Private Member’s Bill to amend Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act and the Armed Forces Act, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment.

After sustained advocacy, Parliament passed both amendment bills on 25 July 2023, and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assented to one on 11 August 2023, signalling Ghana’s progress toward justice reform.

This landmark amendment abolished the death penalty for all ordinary crimes, replacing it with life imprisonment — leading to the review of sentences for 178 individuals who had been on death row. Ghana thus joined the growing number of African countries rejecting state executions in favour of human dignity.

We commend former President Akufo-Addo for his swift and principled leadership in signing the bill into law, showing that Ghana’s democracy is capable of delivering justice rooted in compassion.

The current administration has also demonstrated commitment to humane justice. The recent presidential pardon of 998 prisoners, including the commutation of 87 death sentences to life imprisonment, is a remarkable gesture that underscores Ghana’s shift toward rehabilitation over retribution.

However, the journey is not yet complete. The death penalty remains in our Constitution for high treason — a relic that undermines our commitment to human rights. Amnesty International Ghana has submitted a memorandum to the Constitutional Review Committee, urging the full removal of capital punishment from the Constitution.

In addition, the Office of the Attorney General must lead reform of Ghana’s murder charge classification system. At present, the law treats all murder cases alike — without distinguishing between degrees of intent or circumstance. Every murder charge is considered equally culpable, historically punishable by death. This approach leaves no room for judicial discretion or for the courts to consider factors such as intent, provocation, or diminished responsibility.

Reclassifying homicide offences into first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and manslaughter, as seen in many other jurisdictions, would ensure fairer and more proportionate justice. It would align Ghana’s legal framework with international standards and strengthen our abolitionist position.

To cement Ghana’s leadership on this issue, we must:

• Amend the Constitution to abolish the death penalty entirely.

• Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

• Reform the Criminal Offences Act to reclassify homicide offences.

• Review all remaining death sentences for commutation.

• Continue public education to promote human dignity and non-violence.

As we observe this year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty, let us reaffirm Ghana’s commitment to life, justice, and human rights.

Ghana has already taken bold steps — now we must finish the work. Let our generation be remembered as the one that ended the death penalty forever, proving that justice and humanity can coexist.