Henry Quartey justifies decision to handover barracks of Prisons Service to private developer

The Minister for Interior, Henry Quartey, has strongly defended his decision to hand over the barracks of the Ghana Prisons Service located in Cantonments, Accra, to a private developer.

Officers occupying the facility have been agitating following an eviction notice from the developer.

Answering questions from the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Henry Quartey explained that the agreement will see the construction of housing units befitting habitation by the officers to replace the small rooms currently being occupied by the officers and their families.

The Ayawaso Central MP, however, refused to disclose the name of the developer, arguing that he will make that information available to the Committee on Defence and Interior when he presents the entire contract.

In a related development, the Minister assured his support for the Prisons Service in fighting to secure the parcel of land housing the Borstal Institute.

The Senior Economic Advisor to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Prof. Kwaku Appiah, is in court with the Ghana Prisons Service over ownership of parts of the land.

Answering questions from the North Tongu MP again, Henry Quartey refuted claims that the claimant had organized national security personnel to demolish the fence around the said land at Roman Ridge in Accra.