Camp Prisons to be opened in each region

The Ghana Prisons Service intends to open at least one Camp Prison in each of the country’s ten regions over the next five years in line with the Government's programme of improving conditions in prisons and to make the service engage in more productive ventures.

There are presently eight Camp Prisons in Ghana, which were established in order to decongest walled prisons, teach prisoners agricultural skills to cultivate food and cash crops and to supplement Government expenditure on the prisons.

Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, acting Minister of Interior said this in Parliament when Mr. Kwakye Addo, NDC- Afram Plains South asked the Minister when the construction of the Forifori Camp Prisons indicated in the 2001 budget would commence. The Minister said the Ghana Armed Forces released its structures to the Ghana Prisons Service for use as the base of the opening of the Forifori Camp.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said though provision was made in the 2001 budget for funds to start work on Camp Prison, this was not released but 60 million cedis has been made in this year's budget for the purpose.

He said the funds are being pursued for release and work would accordingly start if this was done. Crops to be cultivated are mainly maize, yam and vegetables.

Dr. Addo-Kufuor said it was expected that facilities at the Camp would be expanded to take advantage of the agricultural potential of the Afram Plains to increase food production for the Service and decongest the overcrowded prisons.

Mr. Modestus Ahiable, NDC-Ketu North asked whether the ministry was considering applying for part of the HIPC Fund to undertake its projects and the Minister said it was a good suggestion which would be discussed with the Finance Minister.

Mr. Abraham Owusu-Baidoo, NDC-Twifu/Hemang/Lower Denkyira on behalf of Michael Coffie Boampong, NDC- Bia asked the Minister what plans he had to equip the Police personnel in the area with official vehicles to assist them in combating smuggling activities in the area.

Dr Addo- Kufuor said the Bia Police Station is under Asawinso Police district Headquarters where, recently one of the newly acquired Land Rovers have been allocated to cater for the needs of all stations in the district.

He said most of the vehicles have been assigned to assist in addressing the problems of armed robbery and indiscipline on the roads and that as soon as the situation improves, there would be re-assignment of vehicles to the various deprived areas and Asawinso District would be favoured.

Dr. Addo-Kufuor also announced that the New Edubaise District has been allocated one new Fire Tender to be used to combat bushfires this was when Alhaji Amadu Ali on behalf of Mrs. Theresa Joyce Baffoe, NDC- New Edubiase asked when the district would be provided with a Fire Tender to combat the perennial fire disasters in the district.