Do Not Abandon Convicted Children, Rev. Stella Anku Appeals to Parents
The Ashanti Regional Prisons Chaplain, Rev. Stella Ama Katso Anku, has appealed to parents and families not to abandon their children who are serving prison sentences, stressing that conviction does not strip individuals of their right to care, dignity and family support.
Rev. Anku made the appeal during a Christmas outreach programme organised by her foundation ,Amenuveve Foundation, at the Ahinsan Camp Prison in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region. The visit was aimed at sharing love with inmates during the festive season and promoting compassion within Ghana’s correctional system.
As part of the initiative, the Amenuveve Foundation dined with the inmates and donated assorted food items and essential provisions to support their welfare and ensure they also experienced the joy of Christmas. The gesture brought smiles to the faces of the inmates and reaffirmed society’s responsibility towards their rehabilitation.
Addressing the gathering, Rev. Anku emphasized that continuous parental and family support plays a vital role in the reformation of incarcerated persons. She encouraged parents to maintain close contact with their convicted children, noting that emotional and moral support significantly contributes to positive behavioural change.
She further urged the public to desist from stigmatizing ex-convicts, calling on communities to accept and support them as they reintegrate into society. According to her, embracing former inmates and assisting them to rebuild their lives is key to reducing reoffending and promoting social harmony.
Rev. Anku explained that Ahinsan Camp Prison was deliberately chosen for the Christmas celebration to highlight the needs of camp prisons and to inspire other organisations, institutions and well-meaning individuals to extend support to such facilities, particularly during festive periods.
The Officer-in-Charge of Ahinsan Camp Prison, Chief Superintendent Marthin Duah, expressed gratitude to the Amenuveve Foundation for the kind gesture. He appealed to stakeholders to support the completion of the prison’s health centre and the provision of a kitchen facility to enhance service delivery and improve inmate welfare.
The Christmas outreach by the Amenuveve Foundation underscored the importance of compassion, family responsibility and societal support in the rehabilitation of inmates, reinforcing the call for collective efforts to ensure successful reintegration of convicts and ex-convicts into society.
