Tamale, Sept. 9, GNA – Centre for Social Development (CSD) Reform, has donated four laptop computers and two printing machines to the Tamale Central Prison to aid in effective delivery of its administrative mandates.
The items, worth GHC11,418.40, were part of a HOPE Project being funded by the French Embassy in Ghana that aimed at improving institutional capacities to provide paralegal services to inmates.
Mr David Yiridong Issaka, the Executive Director for CSD Reform, said as part of the donation, the project had carried out a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) of the Paralegal Unit of the Tamale Central Prison and further trained eight officers to enable them provide free paralegal services.
He noted that the HOPE project was designed to promote justice, fair trials and community reintegration for ex-convicts.
Mr Issaka added that “the HOPE project directly responds to the transformative principle of the Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring no one is left behind”.
“The HOPE project would contribute to improved access to justice delivery services, promotion of non-custodial sentencing and enhanced community reintegration opportunities for both prisoners and ex-convicts in Tamale”, he added.
Deputy Director of Prison (DDP) Samuel Sapak Zoogah, Northern Regional Commander of Prison Service, expressed gratitude to CSD Reform and the French Embassy for their support to the Service and ensuring improved well-being of inmates.
He called on other institutions to support the inmates to promote their welfare so that they could become better integrated in their communities after serving their jail terms.
GNA