The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs. Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, has announced an increase in the daily feeding grant for prison inmates from GH¢1.80 to GH¢5, describing the development as a significant step toward improving inmate welfare.
Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie disclosed this while appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where she also appealed to the Committee and philanthropic organisations to support the country’s prison population.
She commended The Church of Pentecost for its support to the Prisons Service, particularly through the provision of prison camps at Ejura in the Ashanti Region and Damongo in the Savannah Region.
The Director-General further encouraged civil society organisations, private institutions and other agencies to partner with the Prisons Service by engaging inmates in productive ventures. Such initiatives, she noted, would enable prisoners to earn income, acquire employable skills and develop discipline to support their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Mrs. Baffoe-Bonnie revealed that Ghana currently operates 45 prison facilities across the country and noted that rehabilitation and reintegration programmes have now been incorporated into the government’s budgetary allocations.
She also highlighted measures being implemented to enhance security within the prison system, including regular searches and the continuous monitoring of inmates.
Members of the Public Accounts Committee commended the Director-General for initiatives being pursued under the “Think Prisons 360” agenda, a programme focused on inmate rehabilitation, agricultural expansion and the welfare of prison officers.
The Committee expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to prison reforms by promoting skills development, self-sufficiency and improved living conditions within correctional facilities nationwide.