The state of Ghana prisons has for many years become a worry to many residents. Several reports indicate that the prisons are congested with inmates struggling to survive in the various camps.
Some pictures that have popped up from the existing prisons in the country paint a gloomy picture of how people who have been detained to undergo corrections are subjected to poor treatment.
Most of these inmates could be seen packed in the rooms in unhygienic conditions. Many advocates, including the Crime Check Foundation, have been campaigning for the country to use non-custodial sentences to punish offenders.
They believe the initiative will help the prisons to be decongested. However, these calls have not been considered.
The meals provided for the inmates have also been described as insufficient with a call on the government to increase the daily feeding fee which stands a little above GHC 1.50.
The infrastructure in the prisons has not seen frequent rehabilitation works since their establishment, whilst there is not sufficient funding for the reformation programs.
The Ghana Prisons need total reform but it seems the church of Pentecost has set an example for the entire country to follow.
They have handed over an ultra-modern prison to authorities. The differences between their prison and the already existing prisons are very clear.
The three hundred-bed capacity prison is situated at Ejura in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The interior decoration of the prison is very admirable since every inmate will enjoy a single bed.
It also has a church, recreational center, technical workshop, and playing ground.
Many Ghanaians have since described the facility as superb. Inmates who will be admitted to the new prison will have their luxury of enjoying the comfort and a serene environment to go through reformation which is lacking in the already existing prisons.
Unlike the already existing prisons where inmates fight over where to have a sound sleep, the new prison built by the Pentecost church has already provided comfortable beds to accommodate all the inmates who will be sent there.
The prison has also instituted measures to ensure every inmate who is willing to reform receives the needed training. Whereas in the already existing prisons, authorities have refused to provide the needed resources to equip the recreational centers.
It is expected that this fine facility built by the Pentecost church will receive the needed care by authorities.
