Vice President Pledges Government Support for Ghana Prisons Service

The Vice President of Ghana, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the Ghana Prisons Service in its efforts to improve inmate welfare, strengthen institutional capacity and advance rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

The Vice President gave the assurance when the Director-General of Prisons, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Esq.), paid a courtesy call on her at the Jubilee House.

She also applauded the gender-balanced composition of the delegation, describing it as a demonstration of commitment to the principles of the Affirmative Action Act.

The Vice President reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the Ghana Prisons Service and initiatives aimed at improving its operations, enhancing inmate welfare and strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

She expressed appreciation to Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie and her delegation for the visit and commended the Director-General for her leadership.

Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie particularly acknowledged the Vice President’s participation as the Reviewing Officer at the recent graduation parade of Cadet Course Intakes 33, 34 and 35 at the Premier Centre for Prisons and Correctional Innovation (PCPCI) at Fumso in the Ashanti Region.

She described the Vice President’s presence at the ceremony as a demonstration of her commitment to the development of the Service and the welfare of prison officers.

The Director-General also highlighted the Medicine and Equipment Bank project, which has attracted support from pharmaceutical companies through the provision of medical supplies and equipment.

According to her, the initiative is already yielding positive results in some regions and is expected to improve access to essential healthcare for inmates.

Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie further disclosed plans to establish a water factory at Ankaful in the Central Region as part of efforts to expand the Service’s rehabilitation and skills development programmes.

She explained that the proposed facility would serve the surrounding community while providing inmates with practical and employable skills to support their eventual reintegration into society.

The Director-General, however, drew the Vice President’s attention to some operational challenges confronting the Service, particularly the poor condition of the road network leading to Ankaful, which hosts the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison and three other prison facilities.

She indicated that improving access to the area would contribute to more efficient operations and service delivery across the facilities.

Judith Twumwaa, ISD