Government urged to review prisons feeding fees

Some residents in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have expressed discontent about the daily feeding fee of prisoners in the country and called on government to review it.

They said to reduce the pressure on government and decongest the prisons, non-custodial sentences could be considered to promote healthy living among the inmates.

These concerns came in the wake of agitation by some inmates of the Sekondi Prisons for improved nutrition and dieting.

The inmates were reported to have chanted war songs and boycotted their food, which they said did not offer any nourishment.

Each prisoner is allocated GHc1.80p daily by government.

Mr Joseph Assifuah, a former Unit Committee Member of Nkenya in Takoradi, told the Ghana News Agency that crimes such as pilfering, theft and stealing must not see offenders in remand but should be given some communal jobs amid counselling to reform them.

Mrs Nana Adjoa Pew, an Organisational Development Officer, called for change management in Ghana's prisons to ensure they reformed rather than harden the offenders.

She said the feeding fee was woefully inadequate and must be increased as soon as possible, while calling on the public and benevolent organisations to support.