COVID-19 vaccination: 3,297 Prison officers, inmates vaccinated
Three thousand, two hundred and ninety seven prison officers and inmates with underlying health conditions have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19 in prisons in Accra, Greater Kumasi, the Northern and Western regions.
They include 2,161 officers and 1,136 prison inmates.
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The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who stated this, was speaking at the commissioning of intake 28 officer cadets of the Prisons Service at a graduation ceremony in Accra yesterday. He said it was gratifying that none of the prison inmates before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had contracted the disease.
He expressed appreciation to all agencies of the criminal justice system and other stakeholders for collaborating to ensure the prisons were protected from the menace of the disease.
While stressing efforts by the government to ensure the completion of work on a remand prison at Nsawam which he said was 70 per cent complete to ease congestion at the medium security prison, Dr Bawumia also said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was committed to granting amnesty periodically to decongest the prisons.
Intake 28
The intake 28 officer cadets were 198 and comprised 129 men and 69 women.
During the four-month course, they received training in penal law, social psychology, public sector financial administration and emergency.
The rest were serious incidence management, correctional management, stores administration as well as physical training and drills.
Dr Bawumia, who was the reviewing officer, said the training had prepared the officers adequately to assume higher responsibilities as commissioned officers and expressed confidence they would further build their capacity in the penal system.
The event was attended by the Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, and the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Patrick Darko Missah.
Addressing challenges
Dr Bawumia acknowledged challenges in the service and said the government was taking the necessary measures to address those difficulties.
He said the quest by the government to improve the human resource of the service had led to the recruitment of 2, 950 personnel and the enlistment of 300 cadets within the last four years.
The Vice-President also said contractors working on the Ankaful, Nsawam and Roman Ridge residential facilities of the service had resumed work after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘’Government is also upgrading all health facilities at the prisons to make them more responsive to the health needs of officers and inmates.
“Currently, the Nsawam Medium Security Prison has been elevated to the status of a district hospital while Ankaful, Kumasi Central and Koforidua have also been elevated to clinics,’’ he added.
Dr Bawumia expressed appreciation to the Church of Pentecost for its support to the prison service by setting up five camp prisons to embark on large-scale farming.
One of such farms at Ejura in Ashanti would be commissioned on May 13, 2021.
“Three others at Nsawam in the Eastern Region, Obuasi in Ashanti and Damongo in the Savanna Region are at an advanced stage of completion while the one at Kwamoso in the Eastern Region will commence soon,” he said.
Advice
The Vice-President advised the officers to uphold the ideals of the service by exhibiting competence and good stewardship.
He said their responsibility as senior officers transcended safe custody of inmates and their rehabilitation to participation in counter insurgency operations among other national demands.
“Contemporary correctional management does not focus on punishing the prisoner, condemning and stigmatising them with painful treatment methods but rather on repairing their humanity and restoring their God-given talent,’’ the Vice-President said.
He further urged the graduands to embrace the new emerging order of restoration by treating prisoners with care, respect and decency without compromising on the ethics of the profession.
Senior Under Officer (SUO) Samuel Yankey, who was the parade commander, was adjudged the Overall Best Officer cadet and took the sword of honour.