Navrongo Central Prison urges citizens to back Think Prison 360° reform initiative
The Think Prison 360° initiative, launched by the Ghana Prison Service in July this year, seeks to strengthen community relations and transform negative perceptions about the Service.
Lance Corporal Aniah Awine Desmond of the Navrongo Central Prison Service has appealed to the general public to support the Ghana Prison Service’s Think Prison 360° initiative.
The Think Prison 360° initiative, launched by the Ghana Prison Service in July this year, seeks to strengthen community relations and transform negative perceptions about the Service. It focuses on several key pillars, including rebranding, digitalisation, agricultural mechanisation, industrialisation, wealth creation, and improved welfare.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Tuesday November 4, Lance Corporal Awine said the initiative also aims to change the public narrative about the Prison Service.
“Before now, people had a lot of misperceptions about prison. When you hear the word prison, you begin to think of the world around, and fear comes to you. It’s a place of fear, it’s a place of punishment, it’s a place of torture, it’s a place of frustration. These are all the words you could use to describe prison then. So, coming into these modern times, we want to create awareness among the people about what prison really is.”
He explained that the Service now wants to create a more positive and rehabilitative environment within the prisons.
“We want to create a free and friendly environment, where when you come there, you don’t only see the punishment aspect. At least, after serving your sentence, you go out reformed, you go out rehabilitated.”
Lance Corporal Awine also highlighted overcrowding and the lack of adequate medical facilities as major challenges facing the prisons, calling for collaborative efforts to address them.
“In our infirmary, we don’t have enough medication for the inmates. Sometimes, officers are forced to use their personal resources to help some of the inmates.”
He stressed that the Service cannot depend solely on government resources to meet its obligations.
“We realised that depending solely on the government will not help us achieve what our mandate demands. That’s why we have initiated this program, in the long run, it’s inviting willing and able individuals and organizations to come to our aid.”
Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | Alexander Bombande
