By Philip Tengzu
Wa (UW/R), Dec. 15, GNA – The Wa Central Prisons Friday held a pullout ceremony for the Upper West Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS), Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Mr Joseph Damolbil Miyella, during a sombre ceremony.
The Upper West Regional Security Council, led by its Chairman, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, traditional leaders, personnel from other security services and representatives of the Retired Prison Officers Association of Ghana (REPOAG) among others attended.
Mr Miyella recounted some of the interventions he introduced to improve the conditions at the prisons when he assumed office as the Regional Commander.
As part of the interventions, he led the cultivation of crops to supplement the feeding of the inmates and encouraged their families to donate foodstuff to the prisons to support their feeding, since the feeding allocation was woefully inadequate.
“I established a marketing team to advocate stakeholders for their support, which yielded results from individuals, faith-based organisations, cooperate bodies, and many more,” he added.
Mr Miyella said in his quest to reduce overcrowding at the prisons, he lobbied a Non-governmental Organisation, Shara Advocates for Change, to construct two additional cells.
He also engaged the Narcotic Control Commission to sensitise the inmates regularly on the effects of drug abuse.
Mr Miyella commended the Upper West Regional Minister for his support to the Wa Central Prisons throughout his tenure.
He expressed appreciation to the Fulani Chief for his unrelenting support whenever the Prison had a problem with Fulani inmates, including hospitalisation, when their relatives could not be traced.
Dr Salih, on his part, said the exit of Mr Miyella would create “a huge vacuum” in the REGSEC and the security architecture of the Region in general.
“He started his career with many others, but not all of them have achieved what he has achieved for him to have gone through the mill and today he is exiting with distinction,” the Minister said.
“Hence, on behalf of the people of the Upper West Region, I want to sincerely commend him and wish him well in life in the years out of the Ghana Prison Service.”
Mr Miyella enlisted into the GPS in December 2002 as a Marketing Officer, underwent seven months of para-military training and was commissioned in July 2003 with the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP).
He rose through the ranks to Deputy Superintendent of Prisons, Superintendent, Chief Superintendent, and his current rank of Assistant Director of Prisons.
Mr Miyella worked with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2013 as a Corrections Advisor and Mentor.
He was the first Prison Officer deployed to the UN Mission in Haiti in the Caribbean – Mission des Nations Unies Pour la Stabilisation en Haiti, as a reporting officer.
Mr Miyella was the officer-in-charge of Salaga Local Prison from June 2020 to October 2022 before he was transferred to Wa Central Prison to take up the position of Regional Commander.
The retired commander received many gifts from well-wishers including the REPOAG and a dog from the Dagaaba Community of the Wa Central Prisons as a traditional gift because the Dagaaba and Frafras are playmates.
GNA