[ 2014-10-28 ]

Kumasi Central prisons to be relocated
Mr Samuel Sarpong, Ashanti Regional Minister, has
announced plans to relocate the Kumasi Central
Prisons, a move that would significantly ease the
congestion and improve prison conditions.

The prison, meant to hold 600 people, is now
accommodating prisoners in excess of 2,000.

He said a bigger and more spacious facility would
soon be built to solve the problem of
overcrowding.

Mr Sarpong said this when he toured the prison and
other security installations in the metropolis to
get first hand information on their operational
challenges and how to tackle them.

He described the present site of the prison -
right in the centre of the city- as unsuitable and
not helpful to the operations of the prison
service.

He saluted the prison officers for the good job
they were doing under difficult circumstances.

It was to their credit that no nasty incident had
been recorded at the facility, he said, adding
that that attested to their high level of
professionalism and dedication to duty.

William Ofori Anoff, Deputy Controller of Prisons
and Regional Commander, expressed worry about the
congestion there and said it was defeating the
purpose for which it was established.

He said it was only “warehousing” the inmates,
ignoring the essential activity of helping them to
reform by giving them employable skills.

He appealed for more support to assist expose the
prisoners to trades that would enable them to earn
decent living and prevent their going back to
their bad ways after they regained their freedom.


The Kumasi Central Prisons was established in 1901
and upgraded in 1925 to keep just 600 inmates.

Source - Peacefmonline

... go Back