By Celestine Avi
President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his administration’s commitment to modernizing Ghana’s correctional system, emphasizing that prisons must serve as institutions for rehabilitation rather than mere centres of confinement.
Speaking at the swearing-in of newly appointed security heads, President Mahama charged the Director General of Prisons, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie to lead a transformation agenda that prioritizes reformation and reintegration.
He announced that new parole regulations, soon to be laid before Parliament, will provide second chances to rehabilitated inmates, allowing them to reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.
To reduce recidivism, the President stressed the need for expanded rehabilitation programmes, including education, skills training, and counseling, to equip inmates with the necessary tools for reintegration.
He also acknowledged the persistent challenge of overcrowding in prisons, pledging his administration’s commitment to implementing alternative sentencing methods to ease the burden on correctional facilities.
“The transformation of our prison system is essential to achieving true justice. I expect you to lead this change, ensuring our prisons become places of reformation and not just incarceration,”
Furthermore, President Mahama urged the Ghana Prisons Service to embrace modernization by enhancing data record-keeping and strengthening security measures for effective prison management.
He assured the new Director General Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie of full government support in executing these reforms to ensure Ghana’s prisons become true centers of reformation rather than just incarceration.
