By Edith Atiaka Eshun
The Second in Command of the Akuse Male Prisons, Superintendent Yusifu Abdullah, says that as much as behavioural change among inmates of the prisons is a challenge, the reformation of such persons does not remain the sole responsibility of the Prisons Officers.
He noted that often, when religious organisations call on such facilities to preach the word to the inmates, it goes a long way towards having a positive impact on most inmates.
Superintendent Yusuf Abdullah made this known when the leadership of the Tema Presbytery Global Evangelical Church visited inmates of Akuse prisons to share the word, donate medical supplies, screen inmates, and provide food items to support the wellbeing of inmates.
He noted that the “food supplies have been timely as the facility is always challenged with the one cedi-80 pesewas feeding fee for an inmate”.
A situation he said “is woefully inadequate” and commended the Global Evangelical Church for the intervention.
Superintendent Abdullah appealed for industrial materials to aid in developing the skills of inmates to make them more responsible in society.
The Tema Presbytery Chairman of the Global Evangelical Church, Reverend Lawrence Ganyo, said “it was unfortunate that most Churches often invest in buildings and others at the detriment of the needs of society, core of the Church”.
He noted that “as Christ provided for the less privileged in society, in the same vein, the Church must always imitate Christ”.
Reverend Gyanyo maintained that visiting and giving hope to the destitute in society remains the Church’s priority, adding that for this reason, the Global Church has devoted time and resources to help give hope to such persons.
Reverend Ganyo urged religious organisations not to confine themselves to their Church buildings but to “get into society and give hope to the less privileged”.
The inmates were screened for various ailments, including skin diseases and malaria.
