Mr Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister of the Interior, has expressed concern over the inadequate budget allocation for feeding prisoners and assured the Ghana Prisons Service of measures to find a lasting solution to the issue.
He said he would discuss with the Minister of Finance how best to tackle the challenge to ensure a holistic rehabilitation of inmates.
Mr Muntaka said this when he paid a working visit to the Ghana Prisons Service Headquarters in Accra on Monday.
The visit, which was aimed at interacting with the management and staff, afforded the Minister the opportunity to gain firsthand information on the Service’s operations.
The Minister emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for prisoners, highlighting the government’s initiatives to provide skills training and employment opportunities to prisoners, which would enable them to reintegrate into society upon their release.
He acknowledged the crucial role the Ghana Prisons Service played in maintaining public safety and security and commended it for the efforts in providing safe custody, welfare, and rehabilitation of prisoners.
Mr Muntaka stressed the government’s efforts to prioritise the decongestion of the prisons through the implementation of non-custodial sentencing options.
He discussed the need for modernisation of prison infrastructure, including the development of digital record-keeping systems, biometric identification, and security surveillance.
Mr Isaac Kofi Egyir, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, commended the Minister for the visit and assured him of the Service’s commitment to delivering effective services to the nation.
