Archbishop Sarpong donates to inmates of Kumasi Prison

Kumasi, Dec. 29, GNA - The Most Reverend Peter Akwasi Sarpong, Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi as part of his yearly visit to the Kumasi Central Prisons has donated assorted items to the inmates. The donation is made up of used clothing, toiletries and bags of gari, cooked rice and kenkey among others, estimated to cost millions of cedis.

Making the presentation on behalf of the Archbishop, the Most Rev Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kumasi Archdiocese, said the items which came from some Catholic faithful in Kumasi was the Church's widow's mite to the inmates some of whom had been rejected by their families.

The Auxiliary Bishop urged the prisoners not to forsake the Lord, especially while in prison, forgive their accusers and rather pray to God to forgive them, making reference to the biblical instance where Stephen prayed to God not to punish those who accused him wrongly and assassinated him.

Most Rev Anokye appealed to society to avoid stigmatising ex-convicts and instead, to welcome and assist them to cope with life after serving their conviction, since any attempt at embarrassing them would compel them to go back to those social vices which sent them into prison.

Reverend Martin Paddy, Deputy Director of Prisons and Chaplain in-charge of Ashanti, who received the items, was full of praise for the Catholic Church for its unflinching support towards the upkeep of the inmates. He appealed to other religious groups, non-governmental organizations, philanthropists and others to emulate the gesture to complement government's effort towards the upkeep of the inmates. 29 Dec. 07