Help us transform our prisons; it could be you- Rev. Wengam

The Ghana Prisons Service has reiterated the need for Ghanaians to help improve the prisons to ensure that the service plays it’s reformation role effectively. “You don’t know what can send you to prison” remarked Reverend Stephen Wengam, Chairman of the Prisons Service Council, when he made an appeal to Ghanaians at an ambassadorial meeting in support of the Ghana Prisons Service last Friday.
The Prison Service Council launched “Project Efiase” two months ago to appeal to Ghanaians to come to their aid and support them financially to help them achieve their aim of transforming the prisons. According to Rev. Wengam, the current situation is detrimental to the human rights of the inmates as most of them live under inhumane conditions. “I want to remind Ghanaians again that this project affects everybody. You never know what can send you to prison. Mind you, if we don’t help those who are there and they come out, they pose a security threat to us because sometimes the rejection and the hardship alone can drive them back to their old ways,” Rev. Wengam told Citi News in an interview. With a population of 15,000 prisoners and 5,000 prison officers, none of the 43 prisons in Ghana can boast of a hospital or a doctor. Currently, about 79% of prisoners are convicts, 21% are on remand and 81% are below 40 years.
“The situation in our prisons is very bad. We must do something to help. Don’t ever think that all of these people are there at will. It could be you,” Rev Wengam added.
With a ten-year development plan in place, the prisons hope to generate enough revenue to be able to address issues concerning shelter, health and feeding.
The prisons service also hopes to build hospitals where inmates can access proper healthcare.
Currently, the inmates survive on 1.80 cedis a day as feeding fee.
In a passionate appeal, Rev Wengam asked members of the public to donate at least 1 Ghana cedi towards the transformation of the prisons.
He commended some individuals and corporate bodies who have donated generously to the project.
“One of the major things we want to do is to build a hospital. If only some of the corporate institutions or religious bodies can at least adopt one prison then we can really move forward. I am personally appealing to everybody to support us. We have very credible people who will make sure that every penny you give will be put to good use,” Reverend Wengam said.
Those who would want to donate can do so through the Prisons Reform Trust; Ecobank, Ridge branch, Accra, account number: 0010084415563401.
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