Ashanti Regional Prisons PRO Explains Scope of ‘Think Prisons 360 Degrees’ Initiative
The Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, CSP Richard Bukari, has provided explanation on the ‘Think Prisons 360 Degrees’ initiative, describing it as a broad programme aimed at strengthening welfare, rehabilitation and industrialisation within the prison system.
Speaking in an interview with Kofi Boakye on Nkwantannanso on Opemsuo Radio, CSP Bukari said the initiative, introduced by the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, covers several aspects of prison administration, including advocacy and the welfare of both officers and inmates.
“Think Prisons 360 Degrees is our new mantra, and it covers a lot of areas. It focuses on advocacy, the welfare of officers, the welfare of inmates, and also issues like mechanization and industrialization,” he explained.
According to him, the programme also seeks to modernise activities within the prisons by moving away from outdated systems and introducing more efficient methods of operation.
“Under this initiative, we are transforming the system. For instance, in terms of industrialization, the old hoe-and-cutlass method of work has been stopped. Prisoners are no longer using cups to fetch water; they now have access to sachet and bottled water. Everything we are doing is being upgraded to an industrial level,” he said.
CSP Bukari noted that rehabilitation remains one of the core mandates of the Ghana Prisons Service under the Constitution, adding that the industrialisation component of the initiative is designed to equip inmates with practical skills.
“Research shows that crime and unemployment are closely linked, and as the saying goes, the devil finds work for the idle man. So once someone is in prison, through our industrialization drive we should be able to provide them with skills. If you come into prison without a skill, you should be able to leave with one,” he stated.
He emphasised that the goal is to ensure inmates acquire employable skills that will help them reintegrate into society after serving their sentences.
