He said in that regard, the government had prioritized improving infrastructure and logistics and the enhancement of the welfare for personnel and inmates as well as expanded employable skills development programmes.

Mr. Akwaboa said this in a speech read on his behalf at the celebration of the “Think Prisons 360 Degrees” initiative in Sunyani, saying the increment of the daily feeding allowance of inmates from GHC1.80 to GHC5.00 was a testament.

As part of the celebration, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Command of the Ghana Prisons Service, undertook a street procession and later launched an inter-stations sports festival for the Yeji, Duayaw-Nkwanta, Kenyasi and the Sunyani Central prisons.

Mr. Akwaboa lauded the implementation of the initiative by the service, saying that it would strengthen the operations of the prisons service.  

He said prisons ought to be seen as reformation centres and not warehouses for offenders, saying: “When correctional institutions are humane, efficient and well-resourced, communities become safer and social justice is enhanced.”

Mr. Akwaboa expressed appreciation to the prisons service for their commitment to duty despite operational challenges and called on the public to support the rehabilitation of the prison inmates.

He also called for partnership between corporate bodies, institutions and the prison service towards improving training, infrastructure, and employable skills development of the service and urged the service personnel to uphold the values of discipline, professionalism, human dignity and integrity.

Mr. Akwaboa said: “It’s only through collective action that we can build a correctional system that reforms, restores, and reintegrates.

The Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Thomas Otsokpo, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Commander of the Prison Service, called for partnership in the implementation of the various programmes under the initiative.

“Through collaboration these initiatives can be expanded to create a more impactful and transformative correctional system,” he stated.