Prisoners are not hungry- Prisons Service

Accra, July 6, GNA - The Ghana Prisons Service, has expressed concern about media recent reports about the lack of food supply to the country's prisons.

A press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Assistant Superintendent of Prisons, Mrs. Catherine Anyan-Ameku said award of contract for food supply to the prisons was the sole responsibility of the various regional tender boards. It said usually food contractors pre-finance the supplies and receive payment later.

The statement said the prisons administration, had always ensured that the relevant documents covering food supplies were forwarded to the Prisons Headquarters for payment to be effected, upon the release of funds by the Ministry of Finance.

However, payment for food supplies has been in arrears in December 2007 and November 2008 and December 2008.

Admittedly, the situation is unfortunate and the Ministry of Finance is taking the necessary steps to release funds to enable the service to pay off the arrears, the statement said. The statement denied that there are food shortages in the prisons, adding that the more than 14,000 inmates in the 41 prison establishments nationwide are still fed three times daily and no food supplier had threatened to withdraw his or her services. 06 July 09