Decongesting prisons: Consider community service – Government urged

Authorities at the Kumasi Central Prisons have renewed calls for non-custodial sentences for persons convicted of minor offences in order to reduce congestion at the Kumasi Central Prisons.

The correctional facility, similar to most prisons in the country, is overcrowded and currently holds 1721 inmates, way above its original capacity of 700.

This came to light on Saturday March 25 following a donation to the prison by the Bantama congregation of the Church of Christ in Kumasi.

Speaking to Accra News after the event, Chief Prisons Officer at the facility, Mrs Mary Vormadi, said conditions in the prison had deteriorated due to the prison holding too many people, hence the need to take another look at community service, especially for those found guilty of misdemeanours.

“Our greatest challenge is that they (prisoners) are too many. Living conditions are poor and it would be ideal to have another facility elsewhere to which some of the prisoners could be transferred to ease the congestion. For now, we cannot do anything about it. What I would wish is for those who committed misdemeanours to be made to undertake communal labour so we reduce crowding in the prisons,” Mrs Vormadi said.

“People convicted of minor offences are brought here but our communities are filthy. If we could get such persons to sweep the streets rather than serving time in prison, it would be more beneficial to the state…

“It was designed for 700 inmates but now there are 1721 as I speak with you.”

Items presented to the prison at the event included bags of rice, tinned fish, and milk, estimated at GHS3000.

The head pastor of the church, Rev Francis Gyamera Antwi, said the church considered it a “responsibility” to help those in need, as Christ instructed and called on more individuals and organisations to come to the aid of inmates.