By Samuel Ofori Boateng
Kumasi, Jan. 13, GNA –The Reverend Mrs. Stella Ama Anku Kacho, the Ashanti Regional Chaplain of the Ghana Prisons Service, has called on Ghanaians to show love and offer support to ex-convicts.
This, he said, would help facilitate their smooth reintegration into society.
Speaking during a church service and New Year’s party organized for inmates of the Kumasi Central Prisons in Kumasi, Rev. Mrs. Kacho pointed out that reintegrating former prison inmates into their families and communities was a shared responsibility that required the collective effort of society.
The event, which took place at the Kumasi Central Prison, saw over 1,700 inmates not only receiving spiritual guidance, but also served with sumptuous meals.
The gesture aimed at boosting the morale of the inmates and fostering a sense of belongingness among them.
The church service also provided the inmates with a moment of reflection, hope, and prayer which Rev. Mrs. Kacho described as a vital aspect of their rehabilitation.
“Many of these individuals have already paid the price for their actions. As a society, we must allow them the opportunity to restart their lives. If we reject them, we only push them back toward a life of crime.
“It is important to embrace them, show love, and offer support so they can become productive members of society,” Rev. Mrs. Kacho stated.
She said the public must move beyond the stigma associated with ex-convicts, acknowledging that rehabilitation was a key component of the justice system.
By showing kindness, ex-convicts could be given a second chance to reintegrate and contribute positively to the community.
Rev. Mrs. Kacho also highlighted the importance of family and community support in the reintegration process, noting that these groups played an essential role in offering guidance and encouragement to individuals once they were released from prison.
She appealed to Ghanaians to cherish the peace they were enjoying and avoid acts that might make them end up in prisons.
“We should prioritize the peace we are enjoying and ensure that we do not find ourselves in prisons. Let cherish and love the peace we have,” she added.
GNA