Accra: The Interior Ministry of Ghana is collaborating with the Education Ministry to enable the Ghana Prison Service to produce 30 per cent of all school furniture and uniforms, as announced by Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister for the Interior/National Security. This initiative is part of the government’s effort to provide free educational materials to schools and students across the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, Alhaji Muntaka revealed plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Education Ministry to allow the Ghana Prison Service to also produce 20 per cent of sanitary pads for the government’s free sanitary initiative. This move aims to transform prison programs from merely warehousing prisoners to actively engaging them in productive work.
During his Mid-Review Report for the Ministry of the Interior, presented at a press conference in Accra, Alhaji Muntaka highlighted the completion of the Damongo Correctional Facility and acknowledged the support from the Pentecost Church for the Ghana Prison Service. The expansion of correctional facilities is intended to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
Alhaji Muntaka urged citizens, businesses, and organizations to support the Ghana Prison Service, which faces challenges in managing over 14,000 inmates, including foreign nationals. He noted the inadequacy of the current feeding allocation for inmates and mentioned efforts to improve this through agricultural initiatives, supported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
In addition, the Ghana Prison Service has begun drafting a 24-Hour Economic Proposal to align its operations with national productivity goals. The Service has also launched a digital literacy program under the One Million Quotas initiative, providing digital skills to inmates, officers, and their dependents.
The Minister also spoke about collaborations with the Youth Employment Agency for recruiting prison support staff and with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the removal and repatriation of street beggars. These efforts aim to restore public order and offer humane assistance to vulnerable populations.
Furthermore, a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Ministry of Youth Development to provide internships in security agencies, enhancing youth employability. The first batch of interns is set to commence training on July 16.
Regarding the Ghana Police Service, Alhaji Muntaka announced the establishment of a 24-Hour Economy Secretariat to provide continuous security for businesses, promoting economic growth. The Police Service has also conducted effective anti-robbery operations, achieving significant breakthroughs in major cases across the country.