Government determined to reduce overcrowding in prisons – Ambrose Dery
Interior Minister with UNODC handing over medical equipment to prisons service
Ambrose Dery, the Minister for the Interior, has announced that the Government is implementing a number of projects aimed at reducing overcrowding in prisons with the objective of improving prison conditions.
Read full articleHe said this during a ceremony for the delivery of medical equipment acquired by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for the Ghana Prisons Service.
Ambrose Dery emphasised that the ceremony highlights the Government's commitment to promoting the well-being of incarcerated individuals by providing essential healthcare and upholding their dignity.
He mentioned that the right to good health is a human right, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for everyone.
He also stated that the Government of Ghana is dedicated to delivering healthcare services to the entire population.
Ambrose Dery noted that the Ghana Prisons Service is responsible for ensuring the safe custody, welfare, reformation, and rehabilitation of inmates, and plays a vital role in the nation's Criminal Justice System, contributing significantly to overall public safety.
He also stated that the Ghana Prisons Service has initiated several programs, including skills acquisition programs under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and educational programs for inmates, with some inmates enrolling in tertiary institutions, thereby improving prisoner welfare and rehabilitation.
Mr. Rolf Olson, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Accra, who was present at the event, praised Ghana's efforts to strengthen its prison service and stated that the presentation was part of efforts to support Ghana's endeavor to have a more humane prison system.
Mr. Charles Abani, the UN Resident Coordinator, commended the Government for working towards introducing legislation to reform the prison service in Ghana.
Mr. Abani also called on the Ghana Prisons Service to continue to strengthen prison management in line with the Nelson Mandela rules.
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