The Sunyani Central and Female Prisons have recorded remarkable progress under the “Think Prisons 360 Degrees” initiative, launched by the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie.
The initiative seeks to rebrand the Ghana Prisons Service through wealth creation, advocacy, welfare, agricultural mechanization, modernization, and industrialization.
Under the leadership of Deputy Director of Prisons (D.D.P) Thompson Otsyokpo, Regional Commander for Bono, Ahafo, and Bono East, the Sunyani facilities are implementing diverse projects to support the initiative.
Despite the ongoing reforms, the Sunyani Prisons face a major challenge: a lack of buyers for their products.
Vegetables, pastries, and catfish produced by the prisons are readily available, but patronage remains low.
According to Chief Officer Frank Sosu, who oversees the block factory at the Sunyani Central Prison, even their cement priced lower than market rate remain unsold.
D.D.P. Otsyokpo noted that his vision is to leave a positive impact on both inmates and the service in Sunyani.
He made these remarks in an interview with Kaakyire Kwasi Afari of Ark FM after inspecting the prisons’ vegetable plantations, poultry farms, fish ponds, pastries unit, block factory, and other infrastructure projects.
The inspection was led by ASP Benjamin Akoto, head of agriculture at the male prison, and Chief Supt. Diana Drowaa Kwarteng, head of the female prison.
Agricultural and Skills Development Projects
The prisons currently operate two tarpaulin fish ponds stocked with catfish, with an additional dugout pond awaiting stocking.
They receive technical support from the Bono Regional Fisheries Commission and contributions from private benefactors.
ASP Akoto emphasized that the initiative is designed to make inmates self-sufficient, equipping them with agricultural skills and knowledge to help them reintegrate into society after discharge, thereby reducing the risk of reoffending.
He also advised the public to manage social triggers such as anger, greed, and lust, which often lead people into conflict with the law.
However, D.D.P. Otsyokpo lamented challenges such as the lack of irrigation facilities, limited funding, inadequate tools, and insufficient agricultural inputs, which continue to hinder the full potential of the prisons’ projects.
Appeals for Support
To create greater awareness of their progress, D.D.P. Otsyokpo disclosed that the Public Relations Department of the Sunyani Central Prisons is being strengthened to expand publicity across the three regions.
He appealed to the public, philanthropists, and institutions to support the prisons, stressing that the goal of incarceration is reformation, not punishment, and that achieving this requires a collective effort from government and society.
Superintendent Dennis Peasah, the Public Relations Officer of the Sunyani Central Prisons, also reiterated the urgent need for partnerships to boost internal revenue generation and enhance skills training for inmate.
He revealed that feeding inmates remains a major challenge, with each inmate currently surviving on GHC 1.80 per day.
The service, however, is hopeful that the government will soon fulfill its promise to increase the daily feeding grant to GHC 5.00.
Supt. Peasah further appealed for support in establishing a waste recycling plant at the prison, which would not only improve sanitation but also create new avenues for revenue generation and skills training.
A Shared Responsibility
Both officers stressed that improving the welfare of inmates is a shared responsibility, reminding the public that prisons can become a “second home” for anyone under unfortunate circumstances.
They believe that supporting the Sunyani Central and Female Prisons is critical in achieving the broader goals of the Think Prisons 360 Degrees initiative reformation, self-sufficiency, and reintegration.
Source: Kaakyire Kwasi Afari. Ark FM, Sunyani
