Security, safety concerns at Kumasi Prison following collapsed wall
The collapse of part of the wall of the Kumasi Central Prison has raised security and safety concerns at the prison facility.
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Although the wall separating both remand and convicted prisoners is intact, the prison officers fear that the entire structure may collapse since it forms part of the fallen wall that was constructed at the same time.
Incident
The collapse followed a downpour in the area last Thursday night. Even though there was no casualty, the windscreen and side glasses of a 33-seater bus belonging to the Ghana Prisons Service, were damaged.
An empty lotto kiosk closed to the wall was also broken apart by the collapsing wall.
The incident has further exposed the weakness in the structures protecting the cells as some of the walls have developed gaping cracks.
The Kumasi Central Prison, which was originally built to house 450 inmates, now accommodates 1,700 inmates.
Appeal
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the Kumasi Central Prison, Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) Mr Richard Bukari, appealed to public-spirited individuals, organisations and corporate entities to come to their aid to enable them to protect and prevent convicted and remand prisoners from escaping.
In February 2015, there was a fire outbreak at the prison leading to pandemonium. In the resultant confusion, some inmates escaped, while the rest were relocated to ‘B Hall’ until order was eventually restored.
Relocation
In 2015, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, declared his support for the relocation of the ageing prison located at the central business district, Adum.
He pledged to offer 500acres for the construction of a modern prison facility.
“We would like to appeal to public-spirited individuals, organisations and corporate entities to come to our aid to protect and prevent both convicted and remand prisoners from escaping.”
