Two nursing mothers serving various sentences have been granted presidential amnesty by President John Mahama.

The decision forms part of a wider amnesty exercise that saw a total of 998 prisoners released across the country.

It followed recommendations from the Prisons Service Council and consultations with the Council of State and was carried out in line with Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution.

According to a statement signed by Minister of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the amnesty covered different categories of inmates.

These include 787 first-time offenders, 87 death-row inmates whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, 51 life sentences reduced to 20 years' definite term, 33 seriously ill prisoners, 36 inmates over 70 years old, and two prisoners freed following petitions.