Prison Officers seated at the program
The infirmary at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison has been elevated to the status of a District Hospital.
In the same vain, infirmaries at the Kumasi, Central, Ankaful Maximum and the Koforidua local Prisons have also been elevated into clinics.
Prisons boss Patrick Darko Missah made these upgrades known at a carols service held for prison officials and their families December 18.
The event also saw the promotion of some officers who have displayed outstanding service in their line of duty.
Corporal Alhassan Abukari Napore [10497] was remarked as an “outstanding officer who fought against trafficking and prevented a yard escape planned by a convicted prisoner Johnson Combain.”
Sergeant Ama Nyarko [9092] was the best allied student and successfully completed the advanced army drill and duties course 1-2020 at the army combat training school. “Indeed you are the best in drill.”
Sergeant Stephen Amoah Saah [9028] was remarked as a “very hardworking, dedicated officer who executes his duties with passion and discipline.”
Sergeant Cynthia Asigbey [10210] was given a special promotion from the rank of a corporal to the rank of sergeant. She single-handedly recaptured an escapee in Ashaiman,
Touching on a few more expansion activities of the service, Director General Patrick Darko Missah noted “to start with, the creation of two more Directorate of the Service has been done. Therefore we have successfully decoupled the Agric Unit from the mainline Prison Operations and made it an autonomous directorate.”
“In the same vein, the Service deems it necessary to have a separate Health Directorate, to ensure that the health needs of the Prisons’ community are adequately taken care of. In view of this, the New Health Directorate has also been established. Even at the formative stages of these two Directorates, much has been achieved already. It is anticipated that with time, the two new directorates will change the phase of the Service.”
It is also our dream that the Health Directorate will rise to the occasion, by ensuring that the Service
He further intimated that “a proposal for the construction of purpose-built hospitals in strategic locations within the prisons communities across the country, is receiving necessary attention by an acclaimed Non-Governmental Organization.”
“As such, it would not be long before officers and their families, including the inmates will begin to enjoy, quality healthcare delivery, within our own premises. Indeed, with the enlistment and commitment of two very young medical doctors and other equally young and hardworking paramedics into the Service, I am optimistic that in no time, our dream will be realized. I call on each and every one of you, to put your shoulders to the wheel and support the expansion program for the betterment of the Service and for our own selves.”
Some other yet to be completed infrastructure development were touched on “the construction of four of the five new farm camp prisons I promised last year, are at advanced levels of completion. The camp at Ejura in the Ashanti Region is at 90% completion rate and has commenced operations already.”
He added “those at Nsawam, Obuasi and Damongo will certainly be opened by the close of next year. The Service has not abandoned the construction of the one at Kwamoso, in the Eastern Region-the last of the five as promised last year.