By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah
Kumasi Feb. 18, GNA – Prison officers have been urged to work towards reaching out to the public and bringing the prisons closer to society.
Ing. James B. Mwinyelle, Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons, who made the call, said the process of reintegration of freed prison inmates into society, was key to the work of the prison officers.
It was therefore imperative for them to go the extra mile to reach out to society by educating the public on the work and mandate of the prisons and thereby, bringing the work of the prisons closer to the people.
Addressing prison officers at their annual get-together in Kumasi, Mr Mwinyelle, said it was important for the officers to encourage relatives and family members of inmates to always visit the prisons.
Reaching out and educating the public would also help reduce the stigma associated with prisons.
He said the reformation and reintegration of prison inmates was a collective effort of officers, the state and society, adding that, the role of officers was to make members of the public understand the need to accept freed inmates back into their fold and treat them as part of society.
Mr Mwinyelle called for support to enable the prisons to provide technical skills and vocational training to prison inmates so that they could live a better life after serving their terms.
He said the Ashanti Regional Command, as part of efforts to provide employable skills to inmates, had established a water producing plant to produce its own mineral water, which was on sale to the public to generate income.
Mr Mwinyelle commended the officers for their hard work and dedication and urged them to continue to work hard to support Mother Ghana.
GNA