By Albert Futukpor
Salaga (S/R), Aug 17, GNA-SEND GHANA, a civil society organisation, has donated three industrial sewing machines to the Salaga Local Prison in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region to help train inmates to acquire self-employable skills to earn decent incomes after their jail terms
Mr Bashiru Jumah, Project Manager, SEND GHANA, who handed over the machines to the authorities of the Salaga Local Prison at Salaga, said the gesture formed part of activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SEND GHANA.
SEND GHANA was established in August 1998 as a subsidiary of SEND Foundation of West Africa with the vision to create an equal and empowered society where the rights and well-being were guaranteed for all.
Mr Jumah said in line with SEND GHANA’s vision, “We believe strongly that we should support you with these three industrial machines because that was the specific request you made, and that request touched our hearts because we believe it will go a long way to contribute to the reformative agenda of the Prisons.”
He added that “We believe that before inmates will be released after serving their jail terms, at least they should have skills that they can become useful to themselves, their families, their communities and the country at large so that we can reduce the rate of ex-convicts returning to prison for similar crimes.”
Mr Jumah said “It is also consistent with our transformative agenda over the past 25 years. We believe that this gesture will go a long way to support the Prison in terms of its reformative agenda.”
Chief Superintendent of Prisons Mr Simon Abofra, East Gonja Municipal Prisons Commander, who received the machines, described the gesture as “a blessing to the Salaga Local Prison” saying the inmates needed help but the government alone could not do it.
He thanked SEND GHANA for the support saying “The machines will go a long way to help train the inmates so that they may not come back because they do not have any skills. These machines will be used to achieve the desired results.”
Meanwhile, SEND GHANA, in line with its 25th anniversary activities, also donated other items to some vulnerable institutions and facilities across the country including the Children’s Home in Accra, Yumba Special School in Tamale, and Shekhinah Clinic, also in Tamale.
GNA