The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has paid a visit to the Nsawam Prison in the Eastern Region to familiarize himself with operations on the ground.
During his visit, the Minister inspected various projects undertaken by the prison authorities, including a farm project, carpentry shop, tailoring shop, paper machine shop, 800 capacity Prison Remand Project and clinic.
The Minister was impressed by the projects, particularly the farm, despite the challenges faced by the prison authorities.
He reiterated his commitment to supporting the Ghana Prisons Service, stating that his dedication to the Service is a commitment to fulfilling the President’s agenda in the security sector.
“I promised that the Ghana Prisons Service will no longer be an orphan,” he said, adding that his duty is not only to sit in the office and read reports.
He stressed that his duties include going out and see what is on the ground to make informed decisions to improve the situation.
Mr. Muntaka noted that since assuming office, he has been championing the course of the Service and is happy that his efforts have started yielding positive results.
He cited the donation of 15 pick-ups, two buses, and a Toyota Land Cruiser to the Service as examples of improved service delivery.
The Minister also assured the Prison authorities that the Community Service Bill is being worked on and is currently at the Cabinet for consideration.
He explained that the Bill will provide an alternative to custodial sentences, allowing offenders to serve their sentences in the community while being rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
He further assured that he is working on getting people to establish business in the prison, which will provide inmates with skills and training to enable them to be reformed and reintegrated into society upon release.
The Minister thanked the Prison authorities and staff for their sacrifices and dedication, urging them not to relent on their efforts.
He assured them that the government is committed to addressing their challenges and encouraged them to keep focus until their challenges are overcome.
